What is the best way to get around a low GPA when filling out online applications. I have good EC and fairly good experience, but I'm afraid my application will be automatically dismissed because of a low GPA. Suggestions?
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study harder if you are a slacker or face the fact you are a moron and don't belong on wall st
I slacked a lot previously and only started trying last semester. But I'm going to graduating this year and I don't think companies will look fondly upon "This years gpa will be much higher"
You can't really hide the fact that you've done poorly in school for 4 years. I know that people like to give encouraging stories, but a poor GPA shows something about your character. Only now that you realize you can't get a job in finance, you want to study harder. Too bad.
what does it show?
sounds like somebody studied 24/7 and wants GPA to matter more than it does
I understand that I won't be getting any call backs from BB or MBB. I'm looking into tier two companies and smaller firms
what do you guys mean when you say low gpa? 3.0? 3.3? 3.5? 3.7?
In my case it is a 3.0
Low GPA tends to be below 3.5 - it's a sort of unofficial cutoff
Network, network, network. Once you get an interview its up to you.
If it's a hard major like engineering / physics then a 3.0 shouldn't kill you. I would network and get in through knowing people / alums, after that GPA doesn't matter as much.
Chase Us, Break In! http://chasingconsultantsbreakingbankers.blogspot.com/
For an online application there is really no way to get around a 3.0, it will most likely be the first thing the reviewer looks at. Since your graduating this year you've hopefully been networking a good deal. Press that as hard as you can and apply widely across finance related positions.
While some majors are known for producing lower GPAs and it is expected, a 3.0 is definitely a tough GPA to pull off - for those banks that have cutoffs, you will either be right at the cutoff, or just below it, as some cutoffs go up to a 3.3 or so. The key here will be to network and try to get your feet in a few doors before dropping the GPA bomb - in that case, if they don't have a cutoff above 3.0, you should be ok - once you get an interview, the GPA counts for much less - as well as focusing on developing the other aspects of your resume to take some of the focus off of the weaker GPA - work experience, ECs, leadership, etc. Check out this article on GPA rounding and other tips: http://www.bankonbanking.com/2009/09/20/rounding-your-gpa-and-other-gpa…
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Pretty sure he explained what it showed in the very next sentence....
"Only now that you realize you can't get a job in finance, you want to study harder. Too bad."
A Long Story; How do I get around a low GPA? (Originally Posted: 09/04/2013)
I couldn't post my resume after a few attempts.
I can't see myself doing anything other than Finance. I'm going to relay some information in the hope that someone may have some words of wisdom or may be able to advise the best course of action, given my situation.
If you decide to read this, thank you.
Mistake #1...
and #2: I applied to The University of Virginia last year. Wait, why is that a mistake?. Well it wouldn't have been, had I applied to the highly regarded McIntre School of Commerce. I had a pretty good chance too, based on their incoming averages for applicants and my extracurriculars. But I didn't apply to McIntre, and that's where Mistake 2 comes in. I made the decision based on somebody else. Who? My current girlfriend and highschool sweetheart of 4.5 years. You idiot. Yes, yes, let me hear the "Never bring your highschool girlfriend to college, it doesn't work" spiel for the 1,000th time. Or the preferred, "You should never make a life decision based on someone else." While I agree with that, my girlfriend and I have a stellar relationship and I'm about to ask her to marry me, so it wasn't necessarily a mistake after all—moreso a solicited wrench, thrust into my works.So wait, why didn't you apply to McIntre again? Well I wanted to be with my girlfriend. If I had applied and not gotten accepted, I would've had to have waited another year—a year that I now wish I had—to reapply.
Why not apply to both? That would have been great... if they allowed it. They don't. So I couldn't. Thus, the predicament.
"The Hiccup": With all the stress that comes with trying to appease a girlfriend, weighing my options, and hoping I would be accepted to either school (the College of A&S or McIntre), my dam began to creak. I applied to the University in March, and around that time, the river was released. What followed was a year of unending physiological agony in the form of severe hypochondria. To put it shortly, I visited the hospital nearly every week in August, and probably around a total of ten or so times over the course of three months. I've been to the doctor's office more times than I can count, and generally, I had a pretty terrible time upon arrival to U.Va (I forgot to mention: I got accepted). I still have nerve issues like muscle spasms and twitching limbs, and couldn't eat right for half of that year.
So from that March (2012) to this March/April (2013), I struggled. After many hours of therapy, tens of pounds of weight lifted, and hundreds of down and up dogs in Yoga class, I started mending. I still have small relapses and struggle with it, but I have a level head at this point, and can't claim it to be impeding my ability to do well anymore (in all honesty, I could before).
I bet your GPA suffered during all of that. You're damn right. Not only did I have to acclimate myself to the difficulty of one of the best public schools in the country, I had to acclimate myself to the perpetual thought of death at any moment. As you can imagine, it was hard to concentrate on my classes. It was hard to concentrate on anything other than the aneurysm forming in my brain, or my heart stopping, or sometimes both.
Where I stand now: So I'm a fourth year now, at the University of Virginia, standing on nothing short of an abysmal 2.2 GPA. I'm currently a declared Statistics major, and I'm set to double major in Economics and Statistics, and hopefully graduate in May of next year (2014). I may end up having to walk in May, and take an extra class or two in the summer to fully complete my degree. (I have to retake several classes).
The Plan ("Get the Ring to Mordor"): If I do stellar these next two semesters, I can get my GPA up to the high 2's. It's pretty much impossible at this point to break 3.0. Realistically, I'll probably bring it up to around a 2.6 or 2.7.
If someone told you they wanted to go into Finance with a 2.6, you would laugh. One does not simply get into high Finance with a 2.6. Well I'm going to do it, dammit:
I'm a strong test taker, and I think I can smash the GMAT.
I'm also planning on taking the first CFA exam. What is that going to get you? I don't know, man! I'm trying everything!
I'm also planning on finishing up Spanish and French, of which I'm already conversational in.
I think I'm competent at writing a decent essay.
I have extensive computer skills (I build computers in my free time), and programming experience (I plan on acquiring more experience).
I've been told by numerous people that I'm pretty charismatic, and I've always had an easy time networking (I buddied up with the former VP at my Community College and got a recommendation for my UVa application.)
I have a really arbitrary "Banking" (Teller) internship at a Credit Union (it's something right?).
And I have a strong track record prior to U.Va.
I think if I can demonstrate that this past third year was a fluke in performance by doing really well my last year, and showing my first two years and my last year, and explain the health problems in between, I might be able to scoot around the elephant that is my GPA.
I
am also pretty cool andplay guitar, piano, and write fiction in my spare time.Calling All Sams: If none of you have watched Lord of the Rings, these analogies are really going to confuse things. I'm reaching out to all of you Sams... I need someone to carry me to the top of Mount Doom. I need some advice. I need some support. I need help. I have to do this. I am willing to do whatever it takes.
What can I possibly do to appear a stronger candidate for the field of Finance, and for a decently ranked graduate business school?
step 1 a gram of test e a week
test e? yeah right. not unless you want that bloated look. test p is the way to go.
Don't think about business school with that GPA. You should focus on getting as good a job possible for now and then try to move to better jobs from that. Few years later that GPA won't even matter.
Yeah I wasn't planning on applying straight away. The problem is, if I want to be competitive for it later, I need a good job for the next few years. That's mainly where this advice comes in. What kind of jobs sort of filter through to finance?
I'm in MO at a BB with a 2.6 from a non-target... I don't see your issue.
You want to tell your story then?
So this happened all over the last year but your overall GPA is 2.2 in your 4th year? Something doesn't add up. What were your grades before you lost your marbles?
I had a 3.76 prior to transferring from comm coll. I had a 3.9 up until the Spring of 2012 (when I "lost my marbles"), and that Summer (took 8 credits then to finish up some requirements). If I could average my GPA with all 76 credits, then that would be awesome and I wouldn't have as much of a problem. But as it stands, I have to list separate GPAs if I want to get anywhere, and my U.Va GPA is horrendous. And it looks as if I just failed because it's U.Va, which I'm about to prove isn't the case this coming year. But "I got a 3.8 at community college and a 2.2 at U.Va" really actually hurts me instead of helping me. I'm trying to get around this. Edit: And if it's worth anything, I had a ton of extracurriculars and took 19-20 credits a semester there, and took as many "honors" courses as I could, etc. I had a rec letter from the VP. I had a rec letter from all kinds of higher ups. I busted my ass.
Gotta say I kind of know how you feel, except it was the other way around with me. My first two years of undergrad were horrific grade wise, mainly due to physiological issues, medications, etc. Currently on the up hill though, recovered my GPA to a 2.8 and still have two years left of college which should bolster it up a bit more.
Trying to find ways to get in the industry once college ends especially with the low GPA and coming from a non target school. Also planning on taking the CFA in hopes that it will show prospective employees my dedication to the field.
I'm also in a similar bind but I'm a junior, but here is what I plan to do and maybe you can do something similar. Pass all 3 CPA exams, network and find a decent job, perfect the GMAT. This will probably take 5 years at best (most reasonable in my opinion). Then you can think about applying to a good bschool.
@yeahright, WOW I should apply to BB's in MO I have a 3.5 GPA. Did you know anyone at the BB (network, Alumni..etc) Did you do anything different that you know of that helped you get a FT offer?
Please explain why you can't aggregate your GPA? What do you mean by listing the separate to "get anywhere"?
Could you try to extend your graduation date (to say, December 14), and add a minor or something while simultaneously bringing up your GPA to about 3.0?
@OutlierZ I exchanged PM's with OP, giving him some advice but you can read below if you want.
@TheodoreBonkers I did not know any alumni or network at all, surprisingly. I actually just got my resume up on every job site (careerbuilder, efinancial, indeed, linkedin) and contacted staffing and recruiting agencies in abundance. A staffing firm found my resume on one of the sites, contacted me about the off cycle entry level role at the BB. They said it would be temp to fulltime, since it was the best option, I took it. I do well in any interview I prepare for because I have an excellent presence in person. Ended up going FT later on... it happened because I positioned myself for anything. Networking is still #1 though.
It's great how so many are responding to the story and sharing their own. To be honest, I was a bit surprised.
@adamp319 You might want to ask yourself why do you want to get into BB or Finance in general. Find your "why I want in". (Or at least craft one...) So you're not just telling the story of what went wrong and how you're fixing it. This may sound touchy-feely. But the "Why" is gonna help when you reach out and network to tell your story. Also helps keep you going in the process.
Just my two cents.
Ok I know this is an old thread, but I’m in a very similar position as you right now, except I have around a 2.6 and can pull off above 3.0 after this year. My story is a little different in that there were semesters where I had 4.0 or near that, and then others that were just plain awful. I had two deaths in my family and some other family drama thanks to covid. I’m also a girl and a math major, so close to stats like you. How did things end up going for you? Any advice you might have?
Wow. This is a blast from the past. Just got the email notification and thankfully remembered my password.
First, I am sorry about the deaths in your family. Make sure you prioritize taking the time to process that.
As for me, the past 7 years worked out quite well, due to some luck and the good will of other people (aka networking).
I ended up applying to about 60-70 jobs and not getting any replies. So I talked to my advisor about what he suggested and what options might be worth pursuing.
My advisor offered to put in a good word for me at the budding Master's program in Data Science at U.Va. As I've gotten older, I've learned a lot of life boils down to this kind of thing. A chance encounter. A friend helping you in time of need. My first piece of advice is increase your surface area for luck. Meet people, connect with people, help people. Start with whoever your advisor is. Reach out to professionals on LinkedIn from your Alma Mater (focus on recent-ish grads, they're more likely to help and respond).
I had a good enough averaged GPA from when I transferred (around 3.1). I ditched the idea of Finance and Economics, as I was never good at it, and joined the Master's program in Data Science. In hindsight, working towards my strengths was a great decision. I ended up graduating with an M.S. in Data Science, which basically overrides any poor grades in undergrad, and I got a job as a junior Data Scientist (really software engineer) at a small contractor in Northern Virginia. I spent the last 7 years working for them because they've offered me many opportunities for advancement. I've done everything from systems administration to software engineering to data engineering, and I've really loved it every step of the way.
I can't offer much advice specific to pursuing a career in Finance. I can offer that I am so glad I didn't go that route. I hear the horror stories of people working 100 hour weeks and I am so thankful that I work about 40 on a bad week. For me, it was always about money, and I make plenty as a software engineer now. I would really step back and consider if it is what you want, and if it is, you may just have to take a circuitous route.
I'd probably start by trying to get internships, and an entry level job in something related to the field. If you can study up and take the CFA exams, that's probably a good bet too, as they're widely respected. There are plenty of financial positions in government contracting where the bar is a little lower than Wall St... Then try to use connections from above and apply to schools you're looking at. May have to be in a few years after you've got some more experience. This is typically seen as a "bad thing" but it's not, I assure you. It's a chance for you to figure out if Finance is really the field you want. Math can take you a lot of places, so take solace in that. :)
I had this grand idea of getting to Wall Street and making a bunch of money. If that's how you're viewing it, just know that you can definitely make a lot of money in other ways and in other fields, so it would be a good idea to really consider what you want to spend your days doing. If Finance and Banking is it, then great! If you're unsure, then try it out by getting a job somewhere.
Finally, applying to jobs really sucks but you just have to do it. Setup a spreadsheet. Do at least an hour a day.
If you want to continue chatting, feel free to email me at my username @ gmail.com
Good luck!
How do you get around bad grades? (Originally Posted: 08/30/2006)
Someone I know is handling recruiting at a top Canadian Ibank and I think he may be able to get me an interview. The problem is, I have a low GPA (3.0) and I know it will obviously be one of the main sticking points for whoever interviews me. Is there any way that I can get them to overlook my GPA, i.e. demonstrate that it is not indicative of my actual abilities?
if your grades are low, you should probably find another strength to counter the GPA.. business endeavor/leadership/activity
you should lie about your GPA. Search for "got fired what next" for a recent thread on an example of a success story of someone who had same problem but overcame it with that strategy and got a coveted BB job
Lying is just dumb. It always comes back to bite you in the ass.
focus on classes that you did well in... or focus on your major GPA (which should probably be better)
What can I do now after graduating with low GPA to improve prospects (Originally Posted: 09/25/2017)
After graduating with my 2.8 I have been hustling like crazy and trying to networking. I work for a 5 person LLC doing raw land development and the hours are long which makes networking harder (can't make a coffee appointment on weekdays). The current jobs culture is too toxic for me to remain. I have been applying for analyst roles but in the last interview, they ceased asking me questions after I told them my GPA. I want to be in development. Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do to make myself a more attractive candidate?
Take an internship type role.
Hit up someone at Wiley Real estate or other boutique brokerage firm. Be sure to practice your excel skills and tell them you are skilled in excel and are passionate about multifamily or whatever they specialize in. I know they're hiring bc they are sending out Recruiting emails
Target smaller companies. The more institutionalized a place is, the more they'll care about GPA in my experience.
Also, feel free to consider this experience an aberration. The only development company I interviewed for, out of 70+ companies, that asked for my GPA was Hines. Most people don't give a shit. A few even joked about them liking a lower GPA because it showed you had social skills and didn't "just study and beat off alone" in college.
Someone i know is president of an engineering and architect firm he does not like to hire high GPA like 4.0 because he is trying to get rid of the nerd image associated with them in engineering and wants people with better people skills.
Also a fair bit of them can only memorize and do exactly what they are told vs learn on there own.
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