925, yet I finished college with a 3.6 GPA.
Or:
The committee will see that I have two GMAT scores, 310 and 600. During
the first test, I had the flu and a fever and simply could not concentrate.
These are the two most common excuses for a disappointing GMAT
score.
Finally, you must also persuade the admissions committee that you are
serious about studying business. It won't do to write, "I read The Wall
Street Journal every day." You must be able to show the committee
something in your background that explains why you want to go to
business school. Also, it will help your case if you can suggest what you
might do with an MBA. For example:
As a chemistry major, I joined the Student Environmental Association.
Working with professors, I helped the local paper mill develop a plan to
stop polluting the Ten Mile Run Creek. I hope to help a large business
manage its operations in an environmentally beneficial manner.
A word of warning is in order here. Your career objectives have to be
believable. It won't do to write, "I plan to be a captain of industry." That's
much too abstract.
You may also wish to include in your personal statement information that
shows that you have something that will help the school create a diverse
student body. This additional information can be something dramatic:
One morning, a patron choked on a burger and lost consciousness. I
used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food and performed CPR
until a team of paramedics arrived. The patron recovered fully, in large
part, according to her doctors, because of my first aid.
Or the information may not be dramatic:
My parents are Armenian immigrants, so I am fluent in Armenian
as well as English. I would enjoy meeting others who share an
interest in the politics, legal developments, and culture of that part
