So, How Do You Overcome a Low GPA?

Hey Folks -

Still on the road, but wanted to pop in here quickly because our team has been getting a LOT of emails lately asking about GPA and the impact it has on applications. So I thought I'd weigh in here.

Let's dig in....

Dealing with a low GMAT can be a pain, but in comparison to a low GPA it’s pretty easy - you just retake.
But how can you deal with a low GPA? I mean, it’s there right? And you are stuck with it, right?

Sooo let’s think. There are a few things you can do to address the low GPA, and my suggestion is a split strategy:

On the one hand you want to explain why you have a low GPA (without making excuses, but we’ll get to that soon), and on the other hand you want to PROVE that you are in fact smart in other areas of your application.

Let’s start by brainstorming about some possible good reason you might have for a low GPA:

- Did you double major? Or do a double degree?
- Did you work part or full-time while studying?
- Did you change your studies in the middle?
- Did you have any family health or psychological difficulties during your studies?
- Were you a professional athlete?

These are all examples of some good reasons for a low GPA. You can work with these... if you play your cards right. The way to play your cards WRONG is to turn these into EXCUSES instead of EXPLANATIONS. The way to do it RIGHT is to explain what happened and take full responsibility for all of it. Keep it short, simple, to the point, and NO EXCUSES: “I was working forty-hour weeks in the cafeteria to pay for my studies, and although I know now that I should have managed my time better, it affected my grades.”

And your reasons should also be coupled with PROOF that SHOWS you are in fact capable of succeeding in a tough and rigorous academic program.
Here are some of the most common things you can use:

- Publications
- Awards
- High GMAT or any other official test score
- Passing other tough professional tests (CFA, Bar, etc.)
- Good Masters GPA

Basically anything that will show your smarts.

And what about “alternative transcripts”? Well, despite all the writing on the Internet, an “alternative transcript” (meaning you taking more courses now) is not really that effective in dealing with a low GPA. It doesn’t remove your bad GPA, nor does it improve it. Yes, it shows that you've got what it takes and you can handle difficult coursework but, in general, I’d say that 20 points higher on the GMAT is worth 15 more classes you could take.

The ONE case where taking additional classes can be helpful, of course, is if you are NOT in a quant-based industry, and/or you did poorly on quant courses. In that instance, yes, taking some additional courses can prove to the adcom that you are capable of doing the math that's coming at you in business school… but really that addresses another problem altogether.

So the bottom line is: if your GPA is low, you gotta crush that GMAT, explain the low GPA... and show the adcom how smart you are via your essays and LORs.

...I never said it was easy.

Hope that helps : )