I completely messed up this first semester...no top MBA for me?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>So pretty much, I’ve completely messed up this semester. Here’s my story so far:</p>

<p>Basically, when I started college, I was unsure about whether I want to do pre-med or business, so I took biology, chemistry, math, and economics so I could pursue whichever track I desired. I absolutely detested the teacher for econ, and I know you’ll probably think this is BS, but I really didn’t think he was grading fairly and was a complete tool, so I decided to drop that class and just pursue pre-med. Now, however, at the end of the semester, the following changes have occurred:</p>

<li>I’m only taking 10 semester hours, which is supposed to be god awful.</li>
<li>Even though I haven’t completely tanked my pre-med classes, I’ve realized that my strengths really lie in math and physics and don’t care that much for biology, so pre-med probably isn’t a good option for me, and thus I’m no longer following the pre-med route after this semester.</li>
<li>I’m probably going to end up with a 3.3 this semester, which is terrible, and I’m going to switch into either chem E or EE. In addition, I’m going to be transferring from UT-Austin, to my instate college (and no, I’m not for Cali, so I’m not going to UCLA now or something), which is much less prestigious.</li>
</ol>

<p>So what’s the problem? The problem is that I kept reading that prestige of undergrad is extremely important in the business world, and my GPA is complete ****, and I have no shot at a top MBA currently. Although I’m not looking to get into investment banking (mostly considering marketing or management at an engineering firm, although I’m still considering consulting, which is why I really, really want to go to a top MBA), have I completely screwed myself out of a top MBA school? I’m not even saying I need to go to Stanford. I’m aiming for at least a school as good as UCLA, but have I completely screwed myself out of a top MBA since I messed up this semester? I really, really think that since I’ll be taking classes in my strengths and at an easier school I can bring my GPA up from now on, but what do I need to shoot/what ECs do I need to get into a good MBA school?</p>

<p>thanks and sorry for the long post.</p>

<p>EDIT: Also, would you recommend I retake economics?</p>

2

<p>Not at all. By the time you have 4 or so years of great post college work experience, no program will care about your bad first term if you turn it around.</p>

3

<p>Turn it around, you haven’t screwed yourself yet. A smart man learns from their own mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.</p>

<p>Get into a program you enjoy and you’ll start getting better grades. Get out with a gpa in the top of your degree (3.3 is decent for ChemE) then get a job and show that you can excel in the real world. MBA admissions, while takes gpas seriously, also take emotional intelligence, career ambition, self awareness, and leadership skills very seriously as well.</p>

4

<p>I think it’s worth mentioning that I got a 3.3 my first quarter, but now as a junior my overall GPA is a 3.7. I think many people don’t do as well as they could their first quarter, and the same can be true for you. Not that GPA is everything, but you shouldn’t feel that you necessarily will need to overcome a GPA you aren’t proud of.</p>

5

<p>3.3 really isn’t that bad.</p>

<p>edit: Only the indecisive california_love8 could create such a thread. How about you figure out what you want to do in life? Until that happens, you shouldn’t worry about an MBA.</p>

<p>BTW, avg GPA for UCLA is 3.4 with 80% being between 3.0 and 3.7.</p>

6

<p>Vector wega? That name sounds so familiar. You’re the guy that hates me, right? How have you been?</p>

<p>Yeah I know I’m indecisive. That’s why I stopped posting here and tried to figure out what I wanted to do. But yeah, I’m starting to narrow it down so hopefully that’ll get sorted out quickly.</p>