GPA Doctoring Question

My overall GPA is 3.3, with my major gpa being negligibly higher. My resume reads "Major in Finance with Minor in Asian Studies"

I have put "Finance GPA: 3.66" above overall GPA, and this is an accurate calculation of my GPA for all of the finance courses I've taken (those starting with FIN on my transcript).

It is not my "Major GPA" - I dicked around freshman and sophmore year and didn't do great in the prereqs for the finance courses.

I just want to show that I did significantly better in my finance courses, which I did.

Is this acceptable or would you consider it a misrepresentation?

11 Comments
 

And if so, how should I write it so I can keep the 3.66 on there? That is a must for me.

"Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly—and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence." - Thomas Sowell
 

You dont.

Grow some balls, put your legitimate GPA, and realize that you have your GPA because of your own efforts. If your major GPA is ~3.3, how in the world do you get 3.66? Cut out the BS, man up.

 
1sttimebankerYou dont.

Grow some balls, put your legitimate GPA, and realize that you have your GPA because of your own efforts. If your major GPA is ~3.3, how in the world do you get 3.66? Cut out the BS, man up.

My legitimate GPA is on there as well. And believe me I take responsibility for my shitty performance. But junior and senior year I got my act together and busted my ass and when I got into my finance courses I did well, and I want to demonstrate that on paper so I can at least get into the interview room.

Just trying to get a job my man.

"Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly—and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence." - Thomas Sowell
 
Best Response
1sttimebankerYou dont.

Grow some balls, put your legitimate GPA, and realize that you have your GPA because of your own efforts. If your major GPA is ~3.3, how in the world do you get 3.66? Cut out the BS, man up.

Disagree.

Get ready to flame me.

1: Make sure your real overall GPA is on there somewhere.

2: Put your legitimate "finance GPA" if it truly does represent all classes beginning with FIN on your transcript. Explain this clearly if/when asked... the interview is not about GPA anyway. There is a legitimate reason to say that your performance in FIN classes is important information that should not be diluted by non-FIN classes.

If OP does not do this, he will lose the job to the guy who does.

 

I had a similar situation, 3.1 by second semester sophomore year. And I also worked my butt off, and got to around a 3.5 overall. Rather than mess with the GPA, which I have seen being bad as a firm can ask for a transcript and that destroys any cred you may have, make the cover letter count. Verbally acknowledge your mistakes, but show you want to recover.

I had to cut down my expectations, coming from Non-Target, but i did get a FT offer, and what helped me most was just showing how I wanted to recover from my mistakes, and not make them again. Put that passion into a cover letter or convey it somehow, and that IMO would be miles more helpful.

Good Luck man

 

Personally, I think you're fine.

It's not a lie or even a misrepresentation. Out of a set of legitimate performance numbers you could have stuck on there, you chose to include the standard number that shows okay performance (the overall 3.29) and an additional number that highlights exceptional performance in a difficult field (the finance 3.66).

I don't see an issue. This is nowhere near as bad as what you'll be doing to league tables for the next couple years (if you're lucky).

 
bankerella I don't see an issue. This is nowhere near as bad as what you'll be doing to league tables for the next couple years (if you're lucky).

Thanks I was a little nervous about it as I've had success recently after tossing it on my resume.

What exactly do you mean by this comment? Haha are you implying I'm gonna sink whatever firm I work for?

"Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly—and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence." - Thomas Sowell
 
whitecollarandsuspenders
bankerella I don't see an issue. This is nowhere near as bad as what you'll be doing to league tables for the next couple years (if you're lucky).

Thanks I was a little nervous about it as I've had success recently after tossing it on my resume.

What exactly do you mean by this comment? Haha are you implying I'm gonna sink whatever firm I work for?

No, all I mean is that analysts are expected to build league tables by finding a reason to exclude all the deals their firm didn't work on. This process is industry standard and is WAY sketchy.

 

Ut ratione et molestiae quia. Officia illum iusto nemo reiciendis pariatur ut quod. Quia nemo minima nesciunt at voluptatem. Dicta quisquam facilis nobis. Optio dolores in dolores nostrum.

Dolorem quas illum neque officiis magnam. Molestias atque alias aut omnis deleniti rem sit fuga. Tempore aperiam sit repudiandae. Sapiente rerum ut aut sit aliquid in consequatur. Adipisci nihil nisi animi impedit. Eum repellat nemo quia repudiandae alias.

Molestias sunt dolorem qui quasi molestiae dolor sit. Qui a aut laudantium est corrupti commodi ut sequi. Et non deleniti et aut saepe. Voluptate ut laboriosam autem.

Iusto voluptatum velit mollitia sequi et reprehenderit. Earum aperiam earum sit ipsam et expedita qui. Et et quo aspernatur sequi fuga asperiores nisi. Est sunt neque et molestiae.

"Some things are believed because they are demonstrably true. But many other things are believed simply because they have been asserted repeatedly—and repetition has been accepted as a substitute for evidence." - Thomas Sowell

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (56) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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...”