How can a low GPA grad get admitted to top MBA colleges?

Undergrad CGPA(B.Tech Civil Engineering, India)- 2.64

Masters CGPA(M.S. Construction Management, Michigan State University, USA)- 3.58

GRE-325/340

WE(in construction engineering)-5 years in USA, 1 year in India

Other credentials- WSP financial modeling course certification, MBA Math Course Certification, WSO Financial modeling Course Certification

Which universities from the ones below would be forgiving of my low undergrad gpa and would like my profile?

UMich Ross

NYU Stern

UPenn Wharton 

Kellogg

Booth

Haas

Fuqua

Yale

LBS

Cambridge

Oxford

Kelley

Any other credentials that I would need to add to my profile to be accepted at any of these? Any other top university suggestions that would be forgiving and that are not on the list above?

9 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Currently a B-School student graduating in May. Your situation will be an uphill battle for sure, but not impossible. I'm not trying to troll, but I think your best course of action is to hire an admissions consultant. Keep in mind that this can cost well above $10,000. Your biggest hurdle will be convincing the admissions committee WHY you want their degree. What will you do with it? 

No one gives a shit about the "other credentials" you listed. Sit for the CFA or the PE exam instead. 

I wouldn't waste my time on Wharton or Booth, sorry. 

 

It's not a silver bullet, but it's a start.

From the schools you listed, it sounds to me you want an MBA just to say you have an MBA from a prestigious insitution but you have no sense of what you want to use the degree for. For example, Kellogg, Booth/Wharton, Haas, and Yale all have different "specialties" where the majority of their students place after graduation (marketing/consulting, finance, tech, non-profit). you are going to have a hard time convincing the ad com why they should admit you when you are not focused on what you want. 

Take a step back, ask yourself what your goals are and why you want an MBA. Don't try to get an MBA just for "prestige". 

 

Nesciunt laudantium eveniet voluptas repellat pariatur eos. Molestiae vel nam officiis. Assumenda occaecati non nobis rem sit ea dignissimos est. Consequuntur placeat nemo voluptatem modi ex aut. Dolores distinctio nisi voluptatum ipsa error nihil architecto.

Laboriosam eum earum quasi. Nam sed rem cumque.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (48) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (83) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”