GPA vs. Experience for recruitment
Hey guys. Currently, a non-diversity attending target and gearing up for Junior year recruitment. Business major with a 3.65. Tanked because I've been interning for 2 of the 3 semesters I've spent in school. Recent experience in Big4, LMM PE, and now incoming IB SA at Tier 3 BB (HSBC/BNP/SocGen) in NYC for sophomore summer. Also tanked because of commitments towards business clubs, music/art, and frat (did end up gaining some leadership positions tho).
The cutoff generally seems to be a 3.5+, but competitive GPAs are 3.7+ at the minimum. Currently have a potential offer at a boutique IB for Spring 2022. Should I reduce course load and focus on grades next semester before recruitment fully picks up or work the internship as well? How does either option affect my chances?
Thanks everyone.
Experience > GPA imo but as you mentioned try to keep it above 3.5
First of all you are completely fine for junior year recruiting. Target, 3.7 (assuming you can round up, do it), 3 impressive internships, you're set. I've seen a boatload of target students come through with like 3.3s, the GPA cutoffs are a guide but not a requirement. At my bank given your internships and school, your GPA wouldn't even come up during the process. Just make sure you're totally set on technicals because with those 3 internships you will get grilled.
That said, I think a fourth internship has diminishing returns given what you have on your resume so far. It'd be a shame if your GPA dropped even more just to fit one more internship on there. PE will care more about your GPA if that's a path you're interested in, while the internships will get whittled down to like 1-2 lines on the resume by the time that recruiting rolls around. I'd take some GPA boosting classes and give junior year recruiting your best shot with the free time.
Thanks. Very insightful feedback. I am def interested in the PE and b-school career path. Should I be prioritizing my GPA significantly more?
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