GPA or GMAT, whcih one is more important for MBA admission?

Question

I am applying some top gradaute school in the US, and I always a question in mind. Is GPA more important or GMAT score more important for the MBA admission?

Redtailedhawk · Answer

both and neither. poor gpa/gmat will make it significantly more challenging to get an interview/acceptance

bakfed · Answer

sorry to give you a typical MBA answer, but it depends.

Too many factors go into an application process and GMAT and GPA are just two of them, albeit important ones. To really just boil down to the numbers, I think they probably weigh the same, and I say that cautiously. GPA depends on your major, your undergraduate institution, your part-time jobs during schooling, your family situation, and all that will show up in your application when reviewed holistically. Your GMAT will depend on your quant and verbal breakdown. So a lot of things go into just the GPA and GMAT alone and it would be a misnomer to directly answer which one's more important.

Sorry for beating around the bushes... :lol:

CobraKai · Answer

In my opinion: GMAT.

The reason I say this is because you still have control over it. Your GPA, good or bad, is etched in stone. It is what it is. If it's low, the only thing you can do is build an alternative transcript, but that won't actually raise your GPA.

If you get a low GMAT score, you can always take it again. Don't spend anytime worrying about your GPA since it's done and over with.

jumsumtak · Answer

this and the fact that GMAT is standardized where as every institute has a different way of calculating gpas, making the GMAT a much better comparable parameter. We are comparing tons of applicants from varied nationalities and backgrounds - gpa might fluctuate a lot but GMAT is a common base.

GMAT for me as well.

P.S: Assumption: We are not talking about the reputation of UG but your actual gpa on the scale of 4 (or whatever)

Admissionado · Answer

I wouldn't say either one. Both are very very important. Actually, maybe I would tend to lean towards GPA, for the very reason that you can no longer change it!!! Also, very high GPAs are much more rare than very high GMATs....

Top schools can be as inflexible on GPA as they are on the GMAT, and one doesn't necessarily make up for the other, although if you have a low GPA, you might be able to explain it with stories, whereas for the GMAT there's not really any explaining you can do.

jumsumtak · Answer

I'm sorry to be the bad guy, but I believe you thought otherwise: most-important-aspect-of-application-146825.html#p1178695 I did not mean to dig up your posts and prove you wrong/right. Just curious on how the two opinions connect. I agree to this though, if you screw up either of them bad, you are all but out of the race.

CobraKai · Answer

...but you can take it again and improve your score. A screwed up GPA is over and done with, a screwed up GMAT can be taken again... Do we see a recurring theme here? :-D

GPA or GMAT, whcih one is more important for MBA admission?

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