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13 Sep 2016, 12:50
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Hi All,
Traditionally, what schools place less emphasis on Low GPAs and pay closer attention to GMAT scores? I majored in History at a top 5 liberal arts score finishing up with a 2.9. I just scored a 730 on the GMAT. I'm looking for the right fit and would appreciate any and all guidance on school selection. Vice versa, what schools would never take a candidate with a sub-par 3.0 GPA regardless of the GMAT score?
Thanks!!
Traditionally, what schools place less emphasis on Low GPAs and pay closer attention to GMAT scores? I majored in History at a top 5 liberal arts score finishing up with a 2.9. I just scored a 730 on the GMAT. I'm looking for the right fit and would appreciate any and all guidance on school selection. Vice versa, what schools would never take a candidate with a sub-par 3.0 GPA regardless of the GMAT score?
Thanks!!
13 Sep 2016, 21:39
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Hi gluckman,
You’ve got a great score. Congrats!
There is a reason why B-schools look at GPA and GMAT/ GRE while evaluating applications. Through these stats, and other qualitative factors, they assess an applicant’s ‘academic quotient’ or, in other words, his/ her ability to cope up with the rigor of an MBA program. (An MBA program is rigorous, fast-paced, and requires comfort with numerical manipulations.)
To assess this, they look at few factors including test score, distribution of Quant and Verbal (is one of the two, lopsided?), GPA, reputation of the undergrad/ grad program, rigor of the program (an electrical engineering degree will be bracketed as more rigorous than, say, the one in history), performance in Quant subjects, and nature of professional experience. To quote Dee Leopold, the former MBA Admissions Director at HBS:
So, it’s not just the test score or GPA, but they mostly outweigh other factors.
Coming to your question, a school won’t preclude applicants just because their GPA is less than 3.0 or GMAT is less than 650. As described above, they’ll look at a holistic picture, and then arrive at a conclusion. That said, your chances will go down at top schools if those two stats start veering too much southwards from the median, for the reason that there is just too much competition at these schools.
A nuance to this is that a great test score (as is the case with you) tends to outweigh a below-par GPA because test score is more recent (and hence more indicative of your current ability) and is more objective (unlike GPA, everyone takes the same test under same conditions).
In your case, if you’ve valid reasons to explain for a low GPA, you should do that in the optional essay.
You’ve got a great score. Congrats!
There is a reason why B-schools look at GPA and GMAT/ GRE while evaluating applications. Through these stats, and other qualitative factors, they assess an applicant’s ‘academic quotient’ or, in other words, his/ her ability to cope up with the rigor of an MBA program. (An MBA program is rigorous, fast-paced, and requires comfort with numerical manipulations.)
To assess this, they look at few factors including test score, distribution of Quant and Verbal (is one of the two, lopsided?), GPA, reputation of the undergrad/ grad program, rigor of the program (an electrical engineering degree will be bracketed as more rigorous than, say, the one in history), performance in Quant subjects, and nature of professional experience. To quote Dee Leopold, the former MBA Admissions Director at HBS:
Quote:
Those [test score] are the numbers, but the reasoning behind how we look at the scores is probably important for you to understand. We care less about the overall score than we do about the components. And we look at the subscores in the context of the candidate’s profile.
For example, an engineer with top grades who’s been doing highly quantitative work doesn’t need a high GMAT/GRE-Q to convince us he/she is capable of doing the quantitative work at HBS. But an English major whose transcript shows no quantitative coursework and has not done anything quantitative professionally or in post-college academics would be helped by a strong GMAT/GRE quant score. The corollary is true too: candidates who don’t have a background that demonstrates extensive practice in reading and writing may be helped by strong verbal subscores.
For example, an engineer with top grades who’s been doing highly quantitative work doesn’t need a high GMAT/GRE-Q to convince us he/she is capable of doing the quantitative work at HBS. But an English major whose transcript shows no quantitative coursework and has not done anything quantitative professionally or in post-college academics would be helped by a strong GMAT/GRE quant score. The corollary is true too: candidates who don’t have a background that demonstrates extensive practice in reading and writing may be helped by strong verbal subscores.
So, it’s not just the test score or GPA, but they mostly outweigh other factors.
Coming to your question, a school won’t preclude applicants just because their GPA is less than 3.0 or GMAT is less than 650. As described above, they’ll look at a holistic picture, and then arrive at a conclusion. That said, your chances will go down at top schools if those two stats start veering too much southwards from the median, for the reason that there is just too much competition at these schools.
A nuance to this is that a great test score (as is the case with you) tends to outweigh a below-par GPA because test score is more recent (and hence more indicative of your current ability) and is more objective (unlike GPA, everyone takes the same test under same conditions).
In your case, if you’ve valid reasons to explain for a low GPA, you should do that in the optional essay.
16 Sep 2016, 14:15
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Hey you have a strong GMAT score that will have many schools interested in the rest of your application. As stated above the process is very holisitic and if you are strong in other areas your lower GPA can be mitigated. The best way to mitigate is through a high GMAT which you have under control. Understand that the top programs are difficult to crack for even the most qualified and with your red flag you will be even more challenged but you can still have a chance at some top programs with a strong application. Remember the number are not everything!
