MBA Views on Retaken Classes

How do adcoms view retaken classes? My college allows me to retake classes, which wipes out the original grade and replaces the GPA with the new grade, and just indicates that the class was retaken but the original grade doesn't appear. Moreover, due to the pandemic, as many colleges now offer, we can select which classes to take Pass/Fail. I'd received a B- in a class and was considering retaking for a Letter Grade or even retaking for Pass/Fail, and was unsure if that would look ridiculous. If there any consultants on the forum that might have insight, would love to hear any thoughts. Thanks in advance!

@Linda Abraham" 

3 Comments
 

In the end, your cumulative GPA (if it is on a 4.0 scale) will go into the data for averages so you want it to be as high as possible. I spent 10 years review applications at Duke Fuqua and would often make note when a candidate had retaken classes. Generally this was not a good thing but in most instances retakes were only allowed for a failing grade or possibly a D.

Susan Cera Director of MBA Admissions Stratus Admissions Counseling - www.stratusadmissions.com FREE Profile Evaluation - www.stratusadmissions.com/consult
 

I see, I'd already retaken one class that I had a B in but it appears adcoms will now think I failed that class. Just as a quick follow-up, we also get awarded a 4.3 for A+ but are told to report out of 4.0 on the resume since A+ is typically for exceptional work. On the transcript, the GPA is just reported without indicating what it is out of. Would the GPA be recalculated then or taken at face value?

 

Iusto eos odit dolore. Dicta delectus incidunt libero ut et necessitatibus ut. Sit rem rerum reprehenderit itaque non. Voluptatum a quae ut nisi voluptas.

Maxime aut delectus distinctio. Eos ipsum odit autem. Et sunt vel assumenda magni cupiditate ipsa. Natus impedit odit provident animi blanditiis. Saepe repellendus quia vitae quo enim sunt. Dolor doloribus voluptate possimus explicabo fugit eum itaque.

Susan Cera Director of MBA Admissions Stratus Admissions Counseling - www.stratusadmissions.com FREE Profile Evaluation - www.stratusadmissions.com/consult

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 04 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (17) $409
  • Associates (58) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (77) $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...”