What to do with a 3.0 GPA

So im a senior at a non target school with a 3.0 GPA and my dreams of becoming an investment banker are basically over. I'm 21 and double majoring in accounting
and finance. I graduate spring 2018 and feel like ill be stuck in the wrong career unless i can somehow get an incredible GMAT and squeeze into a top MBA program. Any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks.

 

Most banks say 3.2 or 3.5 is the cut-off for GPA but if you know someone with enough clout they can push your resume through no matter what your GPA is. I know it's been said 1,000 times in this forum but network, network, network then network more! Banking, especially investment banking, is a relationship-driven business from the summer analyst role all the way up to the c-suite.

 

If all else fails you could look into an MSF/MFin type of program. The real answer is to network and up your GPA.

Also wondering do you just want to work in IB, what are your career aspirations after your banking stint, or do you would you want IB long term?

EDIT: did i really hurt someone's feelings that mad over politics that they stalk my account and MS every single post i make? seems like i must have been right and hit a nerve :)

 

I'm 21 and haven't held a banking role. I know im behind. But my ultimate goal is to work my way up from an analyst role. Investment banking to PE would be ideal but know that's a stretch.

 

GPA is your biggest hindrance. Focus on upping it as much as possible prior to grad (will need to if you want a master's of some sort as well..), network, and try to land any possible peripheral/relative experience – network network network.

EBITDA rules everything around me
 

You already don't have the credentials for BB or even solid MM shops. So focus your attention to networking with Boutiques and specialized MM shops that are less known. Take them out for coffee and let them know you're interested. Networking at this point is your best friend. (and as mentioned, get a strong LY GPA so you don't scrape on a 3.0 for an MBA).

 

Please don't imply you are working 2 jobs for 80 hours a week and taking 5 classes - not only is that misleading but impossible (and stupid).

Likely what you meant is working 2 jobs for ~20 hours each and taking as many classes as you can. I, like many others around here, worked from the time I got up to the point when I went to sleep throughout my schooling. There is no excuse for not having a good GPA.

If you can't manage a class load, you should have lowered a number of classes you took until you could achieve good grades.

If you are struggling that much financially, you should be getting significant amounts of financial aid from both your school and the government.

What likely happened is things came at you so fast, you didn't have time to think about the best course of action. Sitting down for 15 minutes and getting your head together is useful. The fact that you are posting this in your senior year (and not freshman year) explains a lot about how you wanted to get into IB.

Don't throw yourself any more pity parties. Excuses just limit you. Wish you the best.

Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!
 

Definitely boost your GPA. Since you did not provide any more background information, I am assuming that you are not working 3 jobs, taking care of your younger brothers/sisters and playing sports while doing your double major. Finance and Accounting are not that hard compared to Computer Science or Maths. Work harder and boost it to 3.2 - 3.3. Go to office hours, talk to your TAs, find study groups. Study for about 5-6 hours every day. Pure study hours instead of "I ate a banana bread went to Starbucks and checked FB study." If you have time to study for 7-8 hours a day including weekends, that would be great. Think about get into a regional boutique first and then lateral? Good luck

Persistency is Key
 

So you got a 3.03 for the full year just because of one class? Sounds like you did shitty all around.

Try to bring it up over the next three semesters or you will have a difficult time landing that BB SA role.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

I love you swagon.

Op, pretty screwed if you keep that up.

“...all truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” - Schopenhauer
 

Without any negative attitude in this, but doesn't grade inflation in the US worry you guys? Coming from a different country and school system, I just don't see why so many people get A's in US schools. What does a GPA say anyway if the majority of students gets an A in a class? I've taken classes where 70% of all business majors and 90% of all business minors failed, with only 2 students of 100+ getting a straight C (I was lucky enough to get a C-), and each year less than 10% of all graduates finish with a GPA of 3.5 or better...

 

Just got my first midterm back for grad school in Corporate Valuation.

Mean: 67 Median:70 Maximum: 82

GPA is all relative. That said, do better than a 3.0 if you want banking because I learned the hard way (hence why I am in grad school now).

My name is Nicky, but you can call me Dre.
 

Seriously, you must be like:

"I can't do math because ____ _ __ _ __ _ ___ . So I better (forget about it and try to do better in other modules / redo that module and never do maths again)."

Surprise - I can teach calculus to a monkey ( I mean an actual one, not WSO Monkey ). Don't EVER think that you are incapable of doing maths. Yes, there are levels of maths and physics that you will not be able to understand, regardless of how hard you work. But they are SO far far far away. And even then, the point where you get stuck is much higher than you think.

And no, you are not stupid. I 100% guarantee you did not put enough work in. This is the single reason for failing any kind of basic math course, (coupled with negative thinking).

Also, analysis is EXTREMELY important. Mainly because its so universal, but even more because most people who come from a quantitative background will assume you have no brains if you fail it.

So get your fu__ing s__t together and study. It is, as somebody said before, very easy.

s

"Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old"
 

How is calc not a relevant class? Interesting is a subjective term so I can't comment on that, but jeez. Calculus is so important to any sort of mathematics.

And honestly, I would hardly call calculus I "analytic". By strict definition, yeah, it's analytic. But it's so freaking easy. It's a base requirement for any decently educated person.

Stop making excuses and buying into the stereotype that math is so hard perpetuated by people who have never experienced hard math. You should be able to do well enough in calc to at least get a B if you're somewhat competent.

 

If you are planning to go to law school, why IB? it isn't something you can hop in and out as you want. It's definitely possible. But you need to put a lot of effort into networking and at least some good internship experience.

Life is too short to be on WSO. But here I am.
 

This is a primary example of the threads that need to die on this website. You knew the fuckin response before you posted this. It is possible, done. It may even be likely since you're at a target. What a waste of time.

Array
 

OP, I would start networking immediately. You might have to start at a boutique, but with a target's network, lateraling after a year of working there should be a breeze.

I would SERIOUSLY reconsider law school. I spent some time looking into it myself, but quickly lost interest given that unless you're at a top law school, you're basically SOL as far as top law jobs are concerned. And if you do the math, the chance of getting into a top law school with a 3.0 GPA is going to be a steep uphill battle.

 

Aside from the Bschool tips, just a little background on myself as well.. NonTarget public school in Midwest with 2.9.. Managed to network**** my way into a lot of different interviews, from banking to S&T, treasury and one from an institutional asset manager (where I currently am).

Try working your way into an asset manager, not like T. Rowe or anything, but look into insurance asset managers (Zurich, Mercer & Marsh, etc.). They don't look into target schools, but have great experience potential as most of these firms have Trading, Private Equity, Research, Risk and Real Estate in their assets.

From here you will solid work/life balance and gives you plenty of time to study and kill your GMAT and/or CFA whichever you pursue. It seems as though you were on a similar path I was, with a similar end goal in mind.

Best!

 

I know a guy who came out with 2.5 GPA because he missed his classes. Even after graduating, he was disappointed and went back to retake classes to improve his GPA... That's one option. I have about 7 years in this industry, for me, grades wouldn't matter if I wanted to go to JPM or another bank because of my experience. For you, it's a different story trying to break through. If I were you, I would reach out to recruiters, not internal recruiters, I'm talking about headhunters who needs to fulfill entry level banking jobs. Chances are it's going to be back office cause I've never seen an entry level opening for middle office like market risk or a junior trader role.

So either go back to school and take a few classes to improve your GPA or go to head hunters that works directly with banks and land a entry level back ops job and make decent money and work your way up or use that money you make to advance your education.

EDIT:

Actually I've seen entry level middle office roles for trade support or market risk but if you wanna do market risk, you will have to learn stuff like VaR, Stress Testing, Scenario Analysis and etc... You can read books and go from there. Stuff like Safari Online gives free books... its a trial but you can re-open an account after trial expires. If you download the app on your phone instead, the books are saved regardless of 7 days... which is better. For trade support or ops, learn about the trade life cycle. If you want, pm me... I will give you a number to my desk at work and I will teach you or guide you how the trade life cycle works. This will be after hours of course.

 

I have just a 3.0 as well, and still got an IBD internship at a boutique. I'm from a non-ivy, too.

If you omit it, they'll assume it's worse, as explained by info econ. Always include GPA, no matter what. They'll probably bring it up, but if you can point out relevant courses that you got A's in (accounting, fin. man., ibanking, detail-oriented courses, etc.) you could be okay.

 

"basically over" sounds like you have your mind set. Change your attitude. Just as you fired back at xgozax for his comments, use that same level of confidence about why you are where you are going forward in everything you do. Embrace the suck and pull it together, man. You have plenty of time in your life to accomplish what you want to accomplish.

 

Depends. Because they would be directly competing with other candidates from their respective schools for a handful of spots, it would be a stretch to get interviews in OCR unless they had exceptional ECs, previous work experience, studied a tough STEM major or a combination of the above. However, I've seen cases of success from lower GPA candidates if they networked hard and had great backgrounds/stories in addition to the above points. Often though these candidates will go with smaller boutique shops or more non traditional routes than the typical BB or EB processes. The tough thing about the West Coast IB jobs is that you would be competing with strong candidates from top CA schools like Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC, etc, so you would also need to distinguish yourself in some way.

 

OP, I think you'd be surprised how many bankers there are that weren't 4.0 students in college, and will not look at you like you have a third head just because of your GPA. Clearly a resume screen isn't going to be the door you get into, so start looking for side entrances.

Array
 

Party your senior year away, apply to Asset Management shops in NYC for internal wholesaler roles, kill it for 3-6 grueling years, become external VP and move to a random city but make 400k and laugh your kentucky-fried ass off. ITS NERD BASHING TIME YEWWWWWWW

...but really there are plenty of other opportunities within "finance" so don't sweat it and network your ass off

Compensation is not commensurate with education.
 

It's not "basically over" stop being so dramatic.

As long as you network properly and don't go displaying your GPA all over the place there is a chance it won't even come up during the recruiting process -- particularly at boutique shops.

If it does come up, mention what you mentioned here regarding your two jobs and paying your mother's bills.

In the meantime, do whatever you can to fix what's already been done. Also, brush up on your technical knowledge via a modeling course and IB related accounting fundamentals courses before you graduate, especially if you didn't get exposure to this stuff via summer analyst opportunities over the course of your collegiate career.

You can still salvage your situation but if you truly believe "it's basically over" you've already struck out before even going to bat.

"Well, you know, I was a human being before I became a businessman." -- George Soros
 

Consider starting your career at a firm that isn't a name brand. Mid-market, boutiques (not elite-boutiques), and regional firms are all less stringent with their entrance requirements.

Solution is to hustle like crazy with networking, and demonstrate that you have the necessary technical skills to hit the ground running if you're offered a position.

"The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
 

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"A man can convince anyone he's somebody else, but never himself."
 

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