3.35 undergrad GPA. Too low for business PhD programs?

[Procodile]

 I graduated with a Bachelors degree in 2015 in Accounting from WVU. My undergraduate GPA was 3.35. I have no research experience, but have a master's in industrial relations from Cornell and my GPA in that program was 3.6

I have some work experience (1 year as an accountant in the public sector, and am currently in a leadership development program for human resources at a fortune 500 manufacturing company)

My initial GRE was a bit too low for top PhD programs, especially given my undergrad GPA.  I recently took a practice exam and got 163V, 156Q. I believe I can raise the quant score with some study.

 So given my stats, what are my chances of getting in a top tier PhD program for Fall 2020 admissions? Is there anything I can do (like retaking the GRE, for instance) that will improve my application for a PhD program? Any input will be truly appreciated.

[Boolakanaka]

@Procodile Just by way of background, I formerly taught at an Ivy business school. If you are thinking quant finance, for the top schools you would need a quant score in the high 160s. Typically, the top schools are taking no more than 5-6 students, per 100 applicants.

[Meraki]

Generally, your graduate GPA will be of greater interest than your undergrad GPA. Your graduate GPA seems okay, likely to meet a cut-off if the program has one but isn't on the high end for top tier admissions. I think getting your GRE score higher, particularly the quant, is your best bet (and really the only thing you can do at this point) to offset any concerns about GPA. However, GPA and GRE are only going to get your foot in the door, so-to-speak. After that, the other aspects of your application are much more important, such as research experience, interests and fit with the department, letters of recommendation, etc. Work experience is helpful in researching real-world problems, but isn't usually a huge factor in admissions. 

What specialty area are you interested in applying to for a PhD? Accounting? HR/Management? Some suggestions may be program-specific. Some areas of management (HRM, OB), marketing (consumer behavior), and accounting may be less concerned with an average quant score, whereas strategy, quant marketing, finance, and Econ would expect higher scores.

Top tier programs (really, all programs) will be looking for promising researchers as evidenced by prior research experience, recommendation letters, and through interesting and clearly articulated personal statements that match faculty interests. Are you in touch with any faculty, or could you get in touch, and see if you can join any research projects? It can be difficult to effectively express why you want a PhD (and know if you truly do want one) if you have no experience doing research, although this is not usually a deal breaker for admissions as long as you are familiar with what research really entails and have done reading in your area of interest. 

You will want to choose letter writers who know you well and can write strong recommendations emphasizing your relevant qualities and accomplishments, and you will want to work on a strong personal statement. Get the GRE scores up, and target programs where faculty are studying things you are interested in.

I recommend applying widely; top tier is not guaranteed for even the strongest applicant, and there are many excellent programs with good placements outside T10 or T20. You might also find that the top programs aren't focused on research you're interested in, or you might find that the "super star" in your area of interest is at a T75 school. I would argue that it is the advisor, and not the program or school itself, that most determines student success and placement. If you attend a T10 program and your advisor is toxic or you find that the research is not interesting, thus becoming a terrible chore, you will not likely be as motivated, productive, or even as healthy as you would be in a program where you are respected and engaged in the research. So, if you can get a feel for how current students are doing/feeling/placing, that can be a great indicator of department/lab culture and success (keep in mind that email communications can be deceiving as many students would not like putting negative comments about their advisor/program in writing). 

Finally, but not least important, speak with your former faculty/advisor(s) about your plans and see what they have to say. They might have network connections at programs you're interested in (always a plus) and will have a better idea of where you might do best to apply based on your application strength and interests.