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Experienced Hire with Low GPA?

GPA recruiting
New answer on Oct 18, 2023
8 Answers
2.9 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Dec 26, 2020

Hello

I am currently recruiting for MBB as an experienced hire with 3 years of experience at a Big4 along with a low gpa (3.0) and was wondering:

  1. Whether I will be screened out through the online application process which requires me to input a gpa? If so how can I overcome this?
  2. How important is GPA for the experienced hire process (e.g. Mckinsey/BCG)
  3. What are ways to mitgate a low GPA?

Overview of answers

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Gaurav
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 26, 2020
Ex-Mckinsey|Certified Career Coach |Placed 500+ candidates at MBB & other consultancies

Hello there!

The best option for you is to find a good referral to secure the interview invite. After that only your performance will be what matters.

I would recommend you to omit GPA from your CV and prepare a good explanation for the interviewers.

Hope it helps.

Good luck!

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Antonello
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 27, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi,

GPA is definetely something MBB care about, but it's not the only thing they consider.

Leverage your 3 years of work experience and try to re-focus your application, maybe on the practice or vertical you're currently specializing in.

Networking to find a referral also helps a lot. When you deal with people and if you're good at that, GPA won't count much.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Antonello

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Vlad
Expert
updated an answer on Dec 26, 2020
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

In general, GPA is not important for xperienced hires.

However, 3 years of experience does not necessarily put you into experienced hire pool. I would imagine a situation when it can be downgraded to the Senior analys or Junior Associate (McK) or Senior Associate (Bain, BCG).

Overall would expect that your experinece will mitigate 3.0 GPA, but it will not necessarily be an experienced hire role

Best

(edited)

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Adi
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 26, 2020
Accenture, Deloitte | Precision Case Prep | Experienced Interviewer & Career Coach | 15 years professional experience

Hey there,

Use your work experience and noteworthy achievements in other areas of school, work and life (eg extra curriculars, internships, competition etc) to divert attention away from the GPA. Also, get referred- this is key.

GPA is imp for MBB but not a deal breaker if you show a strong referral, CV and cover letter to get past screening stage. Feel free to message me if you need any help with CV/cover letter.

All the best!

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Ian
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 26, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

1. In some cases yes, in some cases no. Nothing you can do for companies/offices that set a filter here

2. As important as everything else. The parts make the whole. So, GPA, Level of experience, Brands, Education, Skills all play a role.

3. Networking. Get a referral if you can. Furthermore, build up the other parts of your resume mentioned in #2. In the long term, pursue another degree (A Master's) where you can demonstrate a higher GPA

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Benjamin
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Oct 18, 2023
Ex-BCG Principal | 8+ years consulting experience in SEA | BCG top interviewer & top performer

Hi,

Here are my thoughts, having screened experienced hire CVs as well as having been an interview at MBB.

Once you start working, your college and college GPA tends to matter less. Your work experience starts to matter more

  • As an undergrad, your GPA was one of the the defining aspects of your application because you didn't have any real working experience (excl. internships)
  • Firms hiring candidates from an undergrad level based on a set of criteria that is supposed to be a good indicator of whether someone can do the actual job well. And while it is often true, its never a guarantee
  • So now, especially since you are coming from a consulting background, a firm would rather hire someone who already has some knowledge of how to do the job and can do the job well
  • What this is means is that if you can show that you are a top performer in your current consulting role, this will indicate that you have what it actually takes to do the consulting job and nobody will care about your GPA

Hope this helps!

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Anonymous replied on Dec 27, 2020

Hi,

  1. It can happen if you got in without referral.
  2. It depends on your achievements in your current work that will be useful for the target firm. I would say the more senior and succesful you are the less relevant GPA as considertion
  3. Many factors - achievements in your past experiences, networking / referral and to some extent a standardized test result e.g. GMAT / GRE

Best,
Iman

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8
Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Dec 27, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

No worries, at this point, GPA does not matter any more.

To your questions:

  1. No
  2. Nothing at all
  3. Strong extra curricular activities

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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