GMAT and low gpa.

Question

hi,
what is your view on GMAT and its compensatory effect on low gpa. Especially canadian schools seem very conservative and are very strict about minimum requirements. i have less than the minimum average for the school and i tried to compensate this by scoring almost 50-60 points over school's average. but the school has dinged me and simply refused to consider my application on otherwise good factors such as gmat score, international experience, leadership positions etc. 
Are american schools the same? i am actually considering applying to american and european schools as canadian schools seem very conservative. I am disappointed and cannot do much. i have two degrees and my second degree is affected as i worked more than full time during most of it. 

What is your take on this?

excelgmat · Answer

how about a gmat of 740-770. Will that help? :lol:

Praetorian · Answer

Welcome to GMAT Club.

How do you explain a Weak GPA? https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=35031 GPA Weight? https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=38457 Low GMAT and still applying https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=38425 Incidentally, we have compiled a list of some common questions here: https://www.gmatclub.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=277933

dukes · Answer

Have you gotten official feedback from the schools that dinged you? Did they tell you that they wouldn't consider your application based on your GPA? I'm surprised that any school would be so dogmatic about something like GPA (unless is was really low). You may need to make room for the possibility that there were other parts of your application that were lacking. By assuming that the "conservatism" of Canadian schools is the only thing to blame, you might be setting yourself up for more disappointment down the road.

bombgmat · Answer

thanks duke and praetorian for replying. 
i have a gmat of 690 and now i feel that even going for a higher gmat of 720-730 won't please the school. i talked to mba adm. office and they informed me that because i did not meet the minimum requirement for gpa, other factors don't come into play at all. 
Disappointing, isn't it? 
i don't want to share too much information here as ........?

rhyme · Answer

as someone might call the school and tell them they suck?

In any case, no, US schools are, to the best of my knowledge, not so strict when it comes to GPA. That said, if we are talking very very low GPAs - you will nonetheless find yourself facing an uphill challenge even with US schools. That of course doesnt mean you shouldn't try.

johnnyx9 · Answer

I haven't heard of any US business schools having a minimum GPA. I've read lots of postings about people getting into really good schools with GPA's as lows as 2.7 and 2.6.

On the other hand, I don't think I've heard of anyone getting in to school with a GPA lower than about a 2.5. I'm sure some people have done it, but I haven't heard of it, I would say that with a GPA lower than that it would be pretty difficult.

gmatclb · Answer

What school is this?

Did they publish min. GPA in their marketing materials?

kwam · Answer

From the schools I researched, only Cambridge has a very strict policy on the GPA, they require that applicants be among the top 25%.

I agree that if you have a very very low GPA it will ba a problem, and perhaps GMAT can offset it, now I know that Cambridge is not the only school with this kind of policy.

bombgmat · Answer

thanks to all you guys for replying. 
i am glad with all this encouragement. I think the college are acting bit robotic as i have a decent gpa of approx. 3+ ( as we don't have gpa) in my first degree. My second degree3 yrs- i have a gpa of approx. of less than 3, equivalent grade B. 
the college has a strict requirement of first class and i don't have it and am far from it in my second degree. 
My problem here is that my second degree is a low scoring subject and you don't score high here. Achieving first class is like doing very very good in this. Secondly, it is much easier to score first class in quantitative subjects such as engg. So the college is like comparing apples v/s oranges and just going by books. i have a bad score in the second degree and i have my reasons for it as i worked more than full time during this. But i have reasonably good experience after this, have strong references. Writing all this here doesn't help but still it is a good platform to share. 
Please share any information you guys have. let me get a decent college9 i already have one) and i am going to write to the dean maybe. does the college care? they don't have to- they get applications from many qualified applicants so they don't worry about me. i am not loosing heart and am going to continue trying. 
Thanks once again.

3underscore · Answer

This is really optional essay material, and don't be put off.

I am assuming you got a 2:i or a 2:ii (UK speak - you are saying first, so I expect similar). First's are pretty rare (top 10%) and the rest fall into 2:i and 2:ii. I got a first, and my GPA looked decidedly dodgy when I worked it out.

Really, if you are concerned, explain it in the optional essay. I did in my case, explaining why this was the way my results were, the explanation and reasons why (not a sob-story, simple unemotional fact) and how the degree was structured.

I don't know whether it made a difference - I got admitted at a school I really wanted, so I can only guess it was the right move. Maybe they didn't care for it, but in your case it sounds like it will make you feel better and is likely to help.

anonymousegmat · Answer

bombgmat,

if you are worried that your second degree's gpa is hurting your application package... who say's you have to tell the adcoms about it? just don't send the next school you apply to transcripts etc...unless they are both from the same school? Anyone have any input on this?

also, if you are giving the chance for an optional essay... this is definately where you talk about it. i plan on talking about my GPA in my optional essay... I have a decent 3.1, with 6 drops. I could have done MUCH better... but I plan on telling my story. I always worked full time... once I 'refocused' myself and cared less about work I was able to pull basically straight A's. I went from a 2.5 to a 3.1 which was really hard to do so late in the game.


anyway... i wouldn't write the dean. IMHO, he or she doesn't care and will never read it. Also, i don't think american schools have strict minimum requirements per se, they usually look at the entire package... although some do have minimums for certain criteria for international students (i.e. if you are a non native speaker some will require a minimum GMAT verbal score) I know some schools are rougher on Indian college's degrees because India's educational system is vastly different from the US and is very focused on 'rote learning' so they may scale the GPA down a bit... 


so do not fret and find a way to turn a negative into a positive!

bombgmat · Answer

hey anonymouse,

Do you realize that it is a crime to not reveal all your degree courses. so i was obliged to do so and i wouldn't take such a chance anyway b'cos you can be caught and your admission revoked. So don't advise this to anybody. 
I had some circumstances- family issues etc and i can't explain you re why i didn't do this. I could have been more careful, but i was in deepshit and you just won't understand. Thanks for your reply and leave my **** with me.
Thanks.

anonymousegmat · Answer

point me to where legislation says you have to tell adcoms about every degree you have ever learned. ....waiting....waiting... 

anyway until then, adcoms may **require** it - but i doubt it is any sort of actual law. im not saying hide specific courses. if you have a crappy gpa attached to a degree, just don't tell people about that degree. unless you earned both degrees from the same school, it probably won't be a problem... i mean how would they know you earned a degree from a different school unless you tell them? unless there is like some database where people go to get information on college graduates, i can't see how you would have a problem.

the parallel i drew was that its like leaving a job that you sucked at off your resume. you are giving busy people way too much credit - this isn't some orwellian process - they aren't investigating your whole life. you are probably getting 15 minutes of cognsicent thought at maximum and then they move on to the next applicant in the pile.

anyway you can have your **** dude. sorry i was just trying to help and give you an option that you might not have thought of...

3underscore · Answer

You are sure going to do well on the ethics course, anonymouse.

anonymousegmat · Answer

MBAbot · Answer

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GMAT and low gpa.

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