Bro when do people stop asking about GPA…

I graduated two years ago. My schooling is the least relevant part of my career development thus far. Two years IB, but u still need to bring things back to GPA.

I went to a good school and had an average GPA. How about we chill out a bit on the GPA questions?

Idk HR…it was COVID, I was a young buck with a lot of free time, and I wanted to crush bevs w/ the bros. SMH

11 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Left an interview in the middle of it after getting grilled about not having test scores and gpa on my resume, I was 27 years old.  I was unremarkable until I was 22 and my work experience/progression is the highlight of my resume.  If they don't want to focus on that when evaluating my candidacy, I interpret that as not being a great cultural fit and opt out.

 

It's wild that firms care about test scores. Word of advice to anyone that is reading - do not lie about your GPA. Saw a super day get canceled for a candidate because the MD called bs and asked for transcripts and found the candidate lied..

If your GPA isn't great, just focus on framing the right story (i.e., what went wrong, what you did to improve, end result). Having the right story / controlling the narrative is most important. If you already got the interview, you're probably not going to get dinged because of a bad GPA.

 

I know people that had a lower 3ish gpa and weren't getting interviews because of it. They bumped it to 3.5/3.6 (didn't go crazy) to get in the door and in some cases transcripts were never requested. The thinking was if it ever got to the point where transcripts were requested (key being - you personally have to approve) then they would have to decline as a better opportunity recently presented itself...
Stories like this one about the dude being found out as a liar..why he would authorize the records request never made sense to me. Just walk.

 
TechBanking

I'm in my 40s, and I had VCs investing in my company request college transcripts. I was astounded. You think GS and Citi didn't run background checks on me from each of whom you needed referrals? I don't care because I've never lied on my resume and only list that I was an honors grad. Still...this stuff does stick with you for a long, long time.

this is wild

 

I got in through the "side door" at my firm with a lot of luck. Yet even with a couple years experience and MM brand name I've been asked for resume with GPA on it networking for other opps a handful of times. Have my own "story" and "reasons" as to why my GPA was so low at a non-target, but yeah never heard back or was turned away from those leads. 

I get it though. Other than being "old-school" and without taking the full weight of judgment based on GPA away, these top firms have access to the best students and laterals in the world. Why take a risk on someone who's shaky on the basic requirements. Why I'm always rooting for the underdog in resumes batches that get in front of me sometimes 

And piggybacking on what someone said above - If the number means more than getting in front of the right people and having (what I thought were) great networking conversations, then would I really want to work there? Would I fit in? Maybe others but not me personally at the end of the day

 

It’s nothing personal. What else can you do when there are literally hundreds and thousands of candidates? That’s reality.

 

As a Headhunter if I’m constantly submitting candidate profiles and resumes for traders/PMs to funds/banks. Most funds aren’t asking for it if it’s not listed on a resume after the analyst/associate level (outside of Citadel). Prior to that it’s a simple differentiator in an ultra competitive market. Not something I go out of my way to highlight unless it’s 3.5 or above.

 

Id maxime ut iste adipisci. Necessitatibus tenetur et est corrupti rerum impedit. Eos molestias repellendus optio architecto dolores quidem laboriosam. Harum ab cum ut a.

incentives trumph ethics

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (78) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (72) $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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
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...”