Applying to internships that requires 3.5 minimum GPA
I was wondering if I don't fulfill the minimum gpa but want to apply for an internship that requires at least 3.5, should I mention anything in the email to the firm?
e.g. I know that I don't meet your gpa requirement but I believe that if you give me an opportunity, that I can perform just as well given my recent accomplishments...
I want to still apply since at least there might be a chance that they will review my resume compared to no sending at all.
I think you should still go for it because there is no harm! The 3.5 is usually just what they look for, but it is not an absolute minimum. If you have better skills than others with a 3.5, the company has no reason not to interview with you.
I would say mention it briefly, but don't dwell on it too much. Be sure to try to network (if you haven't already) so that someone on the inside looks out for your resume. The wisdom on this forum is that networking can help overcome GPA shortcomings, so keep your head up.
make sure you start not giving a excuse but with a power statement, makes a worlds difference starting statements strong
Depends on how far away from a 3.5 you have. If you have a strong resume and around say a 3.4, I wouldn't draw attention to it. Being close enough to the number is good enough to get your resume a quick look by most firms if it's in the pile, and a strong resume will get you the initial interview
I would definitely not email. I know people say that IBs ignore cover letter, but maybe explain extenuating circumstances in that forum instead? Good Luck.
I wouldn't worry too much. Most places too much of an emphasis on the GPA side of the story.
I have worked with Ivy 3.5+ who are total morons. Don't worry. Just wow them.
How to not get dinged during resume screen for sub 3.5 gpa? (Originally Posted: 08/16/2007)
I have a GPA below 3.5 but above 3.0. When the recruiting team starts scanning resumes for 1st round interviews, don't they just throw out all the GPA's below 3.5? If so, how do I even get them to take a look at my resume for consideration?
You need to know somebody. Otherwise, don't expect it to work.
people on this board have no sympathy for those with sub-par GPAs, and perhaps rightly so. you screwed up, and now youre behind the competition, what can you do about it?
well, there are a couple ways to still get noticed. one way is with great work experience. surely an internship at a BB or an IBD internship at a boutique will make you stand out. or if you can show entrepreneurial spirit by starting your own company, that would help too. either/both of these combined with leadership experience on campus would take focus away from that sub-standard GPA, in my opinion.
also, be sure to hit up alumni and your friends dads. this is a lot easier if you go to a target, as your alumni will be baller MDs and VPs at BB firms, and your friends dads will be very well-connected. i go to what some call a "semi-target" and others call a "target", and this has proven true for me. one of my friends cousins works as an associate i believe in M&A at a BB, and i recently sent my resume to my friend who forwarded it along to his cousin for an opportunity in ER at that BB.
i have another friend who graduated last year and now works in IBD of a boutique. he told me to send my resume to him during interview season and he will try to get me an interview at his firm.
obviously nothing is set in stone, but these are just examples of utilizing your connections. take advantage of these people and sell yourself. if you have legit experience and strong knowledge of IBD and financial concepts, you should be able to land that interview despite your 3.2-3.4 gpa.
good luck
very true h4zin
If you have above a 3.5 GPA in your major you could try just listing that and leave off your overall GPA.
^^^You might as well not even put a GPA if you're going to try something as transparent as that...
I think the whole idea of "Major GPA" is a joke. As if people screening resumes don't know what this means. The truth is having a low GPA hurts, and there is nothing you can do to get around it besides getting better grades in the future.
Also, you think they throw out resumes with below a 3.5? You should see what they do with the ones that don't have a GPA at all.
CompBanker, what do you think is more relevant for someone making a hiring decision at a bank, your overall GPA or your major GPA assuming your major is finance? I was asked numerous times in interviews what I got in my accounting and finance classes but never asked about any of my general education classes.
At the bank I'm working at now, we ask about writing ability as well as take down SAT scores (for both math and verbal). We also take down grades in all english based courses. While we do look at accounting and finance skills, they are just two sub bullets in the overall category of intelligence. We aren't looking for pre-made accountants, we are looking for bright kids that we can teach and mold. I think this is also the case in many banks (or else why would Harvard history majors be getting offers) ?? Overall GPA is a much better indicator of this. Also, my personal belief is that overall GPA is often a reflection of work ethic and dedication, which are in my view the two most important things for an analyst to have.
i have screened resumes personally, and i usually don't give a shit about gpa. but since you have to have it on there, put major gpa, or if major gpa isn't high, just put some kind of other gpa and footnote it small enough that no one will read it; no banker has the time to screen your shit that carefully, and there's a good chance you'll slip through. if you want to be a banker you need to start to think like one.
my boss literally grabbed random resumes from a pile once; i wish i were exaggerating, but i'm not even in the slightest, he doesn't have time for bs like picking analysts. i guess it just shows how many people on these forums are college kids. like seriously, if you're gonna let something like your gpa keep you from getting a job in a field like finance (this isn't law or medicine), then you don't deserve to work in the industry.
you can actually footnote your resume about your gpa? im taking an accounting class through berkeley and its worth 4.5 quarters of credit... it will be on my Northwestern transcript and everything, but it wont apply to my northwestern GPA. if i recalculate this class into my gpa and include a footnote explaining it it the bottom, would that work?
i wonder if an IBD internship at a decent firm (top 10-12 I'd say) not a BB, will get me interviews during full-time recruiting, despite my low gpa ~3.2?
You're serious? You think they hire summers just for fun?
If you got an intership with a 3.2, why wouldn't you at least get FT interviews with one?
3.4 GPA - Application Automatically Filtered Out by Pre-Screens? (Originally Posted: 08/24/2016)
I know that the standard GPA cutoff for IB is at least a 3.5; however, given that my UG GPA was only 3.4 (3.38 to be exact), is my application automatically filtered out by Banks' application systems? In that case, should I leave my GPA off of my resume? Please advise. I'd greatly appreciate it.
Even if you leave your GPA off your resume, most applications ask you what your GPA is anyway (makes it easier for automated screening if that's a thing).
If you have a solid network and can get one of your connections to drop your resume, you should be fine. But I don't think you'll be able to get an interview by just applying online (and that even applies for students with >3.5 I would say).
Do you go to a target school?
I would say it's a semi-target. Do I have less of a chance as a semi-target?
If a job posting says minimum GPA is a 3.5, is a 3.4 automatically excluded? Will my work experience and honor/awards be factors if my GPA is close but doesn't meet the threshold?
This is why networking is so important. If bankers are passing your resume along, no one will care that your GPA is 0.10 below the HR threshold.
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