How important is GPA for On-Cycle Recruiting?

I'm a 1st year analyst at MBB that is recruiting for PE. I graduated from a top target (HYPSW) and had a GPA of 3.55. I was wondering how much my GPA will affect my PE recruiting and what I could do to increase my chances despite my GPA.

 

Pretty important. I just helped with recruiting at an MF and we mostly screened resumes by group/experience, GPA, school - in that order. Honestly with a 3.55 in a non-STEM major I think it'd be tough to randomly be picked for an interview from our resume batch so make sure you network. 

 

what would be the cutoff for your group? 

How differently do you treat 3.7 vs. 3.8 vs. 3.9 if the group and school are good? i.e. EVR/CVP/PJT and H/S?

 

How much does group/school override GPA say how far would GS/MS TMT and a T20 get you?

 

It depends. Again, I'd generally say 3.7-3.8 and above checks the GPA box. 

 

I agree with above, 3.55 is going to hurt you in some processes, unless you were a D1 football/basketball athlete or some other really interesting hook - just too many target/top group/great GPAs out there. When you have 50 fairly identical resumes, GPA is one of the only things you can narrow down on.

If you can somehow pull off a 750+ GMAT that helps, but not like that can be done in a weekend and you should focus on PE prep instead of GMAT studying. You can put your SAT score if it was really impressive.

 

Headhunters score you based on bank, group, undergrad, and GPA, so your score with recruiters will probably be impacted.

 

How much does being in a top group for placements mitigate GPA? Say if you are at a good group at GS/MS or one of the top 4 EB RX? 

 
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