MBA candidate seeking jobs - would undergrad GPA matter?
Hi, I am going for my MBA next year. I was hoping to use it to launch a career in M/B/B management consulting or maybe even PE. My undergrad GPA was real shitty, but i have extensive work experience (not related to consulting or PE) so i'm hoping to get into a top 10-15 MBA. I thought that should be good enough to switch into MC or PE.
However, i'm thinking, when you're in MBA and recruiting for a full time job like around your second year, do you just tell companies your MBA first year GPA, or do they also take undergrad GPA into account? Would a low undergrad GPA prevent me from Mck or Bain, even thou I'm at a top MBA school? Basically, what GPA do firms require, during MBA recruiting?
One issue that you have failed to address in your assumption is your GPA preventing you from matriculating into a top program. Even with a high GMAT score (which you havent confirmed that you have, solid W/E, and good ECs. It will also be difficult to get into PE without prior experience.
If you are able to get into a M7 then you would have a good shot at Mck, Bain, and many other top MC or PE shops.
If your GPA is as shitty as you say and you werent an engineering/math major at a top Uni then you will not be admitted into a top MBA program. Your best bet would be to take a few finance/accounting courses at at a local school and get nothing less than an A. Good luck on the apps.
junkbondswap, you sound like you don't know what you're talking about. You are not on an admissions board and yet you attempt to state absolute fact that he will not get into a top MBA program given his academic track record. If he cranks out a ridiculous score on his GMAT, Ive seen people with 2.8's and 690+ scores get into top programs. Statistically the odds may be against him, but it's not impossible.
GMAT score is your make or break meter my friend...
yes, after tons of research, what I have found is similar to vadremc. My chances are slim, but supposedly I do have a shot at Top 15 if not top 10 programs. My GPA is similar to what vadremc said, and my GMAT is 710. Even if I dont' get into top 10, I think I have a decent shot at top 15 -ish schools like Cornell, Yale, UCLA, NYU, etc. So that bring up another question..if I get into one of those 4, would I have a good shot at McK or Bain?
Now back to the original question, so top MC firms do not look at undergrad GPAs at all for MBA candidates? Is this confirmed? They don't even ask for it in their online/paper application forms?
So for the job apps and resume, it's ok to just put like MBA - 3.6 or whatever, undergrad put nothing?
I just hope that IF (and that's a big IF) I get into a good MBA program, and after all the hard work and loan $$$$, I don't want to have my undergrad come back and bite me in the ass.
I'm also in a similar boat (kinda) but I am about to graduate with my Undergrad and I am currently applying as an analyst.
My problem is this though, i have a really shitty overall GPA because my first year i was in sciences which i hated and pretty much didnt goto school. Then i got into Bschool (undergrad not MBA) and during my last 2 years of study, I've really picked it up and obtained 15 A's and 5 B's . This gives me graduation with honors as this is based on final 2 years of study. However my overall GPA still blows. (i also have a 3.9 on my finance major GPA avged over all my finance courses taken)
Do you guys think i should list my final 2 year average GPA on my resume instead of my overall GPA? should i list my major GPA as well? And finally do you think my chances are doomed during the initial screening when everything is basically based on marks?
Thanks in advance. oh and sorry i cant help you OP
you cant list just your last two years' gpa but you can list just a major gpa, you'll probably get asked what your overall is at some point though
Cool thanks! So should i say something like:
Graduation With Honors Finance Major GPA 3.9 Cumulative 3.3
i'm not sure what the rule of thumb is, but if it's considered okay, i'd leave off the cumulative definitely make the major gpa more visible than the cumulative if you do list them both (gpa is more important in the first scan so if they see 3.9 in bold or something that's what they'll associate as your gpa)
hey guys, let's get back to the original topic yo! hahaha.
From my experience in speaking with those I know who have already completed their MBA, Companies don't seem to give two shits about what you got as an undergrad. As long as you dominate your grad program...that is what really matters. Your undergrad GPA only seems to matter for helping you get in to grad school. A shitty one won't stop you, it'll just stack the odds a little higher against you, But once you're in, your undergrad GPA doesn't even exist.
Most of the successful people I know left undergrad with some half-assed major with a shitty GPA. They went to grad school a few years later, took a 3.8 and now have amazing jobs.
Even more so, just network like a mother fucker, everyone knows that more often than not, who you know can be more valuable than what you know.
great answer! thanks....now i just hope hope hope and pray to god that I can get into a top MBA with a crap undergrad GPA....
If I put the following on my resume, is it clear that the GPA I am showing is my business GPA and not my cumulative GPA?
University of XYZ XYZ School of Business - 3.7 GPA
I would say that's unclear. It looks definitely like cumulative GPA.
I have seen a few resumes from Texas and Rice from 05-07. The only people listing undergrad GPA are the ones that had >3.9.
How much does undergrad gpa matter when in bschool? (Originally Posted: 01/22/2010)
Once accepted into business school how much does the undergrad gpa matter? For something like investment banking are you forever screwed if you had a terrible undergrad gpa even if you get into a target (yes I know with a terrible gpa you're not likely to get into a target) or does it become mitigated to a large extent?
shouldn't matter unless you failed like half your classes, even then you have a second chance clean slate. The better B-School the less it matters, if it ever mattered in the first place. Top 3 b-school - no one cares
this might help (from search function results)
http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/tag/low-gpa
Most of those talked about having a low gpa for purposes of trying to get into an MBA program.
I don't think it matters much.
think of it this way- if the low gpa didn't affect you during B-school admissions, and you got in to a good MBA program, it isn't going to affect your career prospects.
At the investment bank I used to work at, we would definitely take into consideration undergrad university and performance when evaluating MBA candidates. However, the individual's prior work experience far trumped whatever GPA/Undergrad institution they attended. So, while a high undergrad GPA can have an impact, you certainly shouldn't let it keep you up at night.
So the general consensus seems to be that while it's obviously not a good thing, a terrible undergrad gpa won't doom someone to a life of mediocrity if they got into a good bschool?
Out of curiosity for OP, what major did you study in Undergrad? Was a more challenging major like Engineering, Computer Science, hard Physical sciences, etc.?
I'm assuming this is the case and you did ok enough to get a pretty enough to get an good job, and possibly into a good MBA program. Seriously, if you did some of the those majors, people I find tend to usually understand. You can also explain that Engineering wasn't your thing but you the enjoyed the lessons it taught you to be more analytical and perseverance (or some B.S. like that).
I know quite a few good friends of mine majored in engineering, including one at MIT that moved to BB. No sure what his GPA was, but decent I assume.
I doubt it'll hurt you too much once in a good B-school. I always assumed the worse part of having a sub-par undergrad GPA would be it hurting your chances at a getting in a good B-School. From what I heard, GPA matters a lot to B-School(Academia world) than most employers, assuming you already have 2 years+ of work experience under your belt.
Actually it was more of "family issues" that led to a crappy gpa. Death of a parent halfway through school and they got sick right around when I started college.
That should mitigate the damage a bit.
MBA candidate seeking jobs - does undergrad GPA matter? (Originally Posted: 08/13/2007)
Hi, I am going for my MBA next year. I was hoping to use it to launch a career in M/B/B management consulting or maybe even PE. My undergrad GPA was real shitty, but i have extensive work experience (not related to consulting or PE) so i'm hoping to get into a top 10-15 MBA. I thought that should be good enough to switch into MC or PE.
However, i'm thinking, when you're in MBA and recruiting for a full time job like around your second year, do you just tell companies your MBA first year GPA, or do they also take undergrad GPA into account? Would a low undergrad GPA prevent me from Mck or Bain, even thou I'm at a top MBA school?
Libero qui quam qui. Alias illum asperiores ducimus ipsam enim velit sit. Ex est maiores est sunt placeat. Magnam adipisci voluptate ut ducimus sunt ullam ipsa. Voluptate placeat nobis expedita modi voluptatem sequi placeat.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Et possimus saepe pariatur omnis et voluptatem quidem. Et ut aut ipsa. Totam architecto soluta at rem cumque.