I am a freshman right now with around a 3.7 GPA at a Canadian School, however, I am not familiar enough with Canadian IB recruiting to know if this is competitive or not. If anyone knows what a properly competitive GPA would be for Canadian Investment Banks please let me know.
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Was in banking a few years ago and helped run Analyst and Intern recruiting, but typically the minimum is 80%, which is a 3.70 / 4.00 scale. General rule of thumb is if you're at that level, we won't ding you, but it also won't help you differentiate from a GPA standpoint (which is fine, you just differentiate through other ways).
3.80 / 4.00 is usually when you start differentiating a bit, with 3.90+ / 4.00 being very competitive.
Also important is to not have any individual bad grades. Having straight 90%s but then a 60% looks quite bad also on a transcript.
At the end of the day, GPA is still just a checkmark for most banks. Usually work exp + extra curric + networking (in that order, imo) are more important. And don't forget once you're all in the interview room, its mostly equal playing field
How much does GPA/transcript matter for lateral hires?
RBC & CIBC asked for transcripts during their lateral analyst application
Never been asked. However, lots of the people they’re interviewing got to their roles out of undergrad with good grades so they just assume you have good grades.
Can networking make up for a lower GPA? (~3.5)
And would it look fine if you had a lower GPA, but got 3.7 in your 2nd year, and put the 3.7/4.0 separately?
Networking can help to an extent - its a sliding, cumulative scale. If you're worse off on GPA, you need to make up for it with other things, like better work exp and extra currics.
Sure you can put your 2nd year GPA but honestly won't help that much. I'd still put cumulative but just spin the story of how you're improving and on an upward trajectory
I’m pretty sure 3.5 GPA = 80% at my school. Since it’s the equivalency of an A- on the Canadian grading scale. Would I get dinged for that during screening?
Never heard anything besides a 3.7 being an 80%...this is the standard converter for Canada - https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/omsas-conversion-table/
Idk maybe I’m unique but if it’s 3.7+ idgaf and I’m not wasting time checking your transcript.
Particularly if you ranked highest in your class (hard major 3.7 ranked 1st is more impressive than 3.9 at grade inflated program).
Hey man I know I posted this above but assuming you're part of B5 recruiting, would love your input on this:
1. Can networking make up for a lower GPA? (~3.5)
2. Would it look fine if you had a lower GPA, but got 3.7 in your 2nd year, and put the 3.7/4.0 separately?
Can show your major GPA if that helps. Wouldn’t recommend parsing out single years.
Networking can help but it’s a trade-off. You have to have something marketable to support someone else vouching for you. 3.5 but from Harvard? Justifiable. 3.5 from shit school and nothing else redeemable, why would someone back you?
To be securely competitive, 3.8+ on a 4.0 scale. Like other comment said 3.7 works too. GPA can also be slightly lower depending on diversity status (just based on observations of candidates that fit diversity criteria, not all).
Depends on major
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