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GPA Barrier

Dear all, 

I have a quick quesiton regarding the GPA for a consulting internship. My GPA at high school graduation was fairly bad, but I was ranked in the top 10% during my bachelors degree and I am currently ranked top 1% in my masters degree. 

Nonetheless, I feel for internship positions it very hard for me to get through the intial screening given my GPA at highschool, which is always required. I have been at case events of Bain and BCG so far, and they immediately afterwards contacted me to apply for an internship, so I feel am able to persuade them hands. But I can't get through the screening process if I just cold apply without knowing them. 

Could you give any advice in this case? Many thanks!

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Top answer
Luca
Coach
on Dec 13, 2019
BCG |NASA | SDA Bocconi & Cattolica partner | GMAT expert 780/800 score | 200+ students coached

Hello,

I have never heard of someone asking for the high school GPA. Try to simply omit it from your CV, focusing on your bachelor and master's results.

Feel free to contact me and I will be happy to have a look to your CV and cover letter.

Best,
Luca

on Dec 13, 2019
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi,

with bachelor and master GPA in the CV nobody will care about your high school. I recommend to omit it at all

Best

Antonello

Clara
Coach
on Dec 13, 2019
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Honestly, seems quite extrange that they are even asking you about that! Normally they would only focus on grad and masters. 

I would directly omit that information -and they won´t follow up on that if you indeed provide the info from your bachelor and particularly your masters-. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Vlad
Coach
on Dec 13, 2019
McKinsey / Accenture Alum / Got all BIG3 offers / Harvard Business School

Hi,

There is no High School GPA Barrier since they never ask you to pt High School grades in your resume. Pls apply with your Batchelors and Masters GPA

Best

Anonymous A
on Dec 13, 2019
Hi Vlad they always ask for it in the online application mask. It is a mandatory field.
on Dec 15, 2019

Dear OP,

There's a lot of advice recommending that you leave out the highschool GPA. This is true for the US, but not necessarily for other countries. In Germany, for example, it is an important factor and often a strict barrier which can only be circumvented by a referral. In those cases, I suggest you go to events, as you seem to have already done successfully, and connect with people in the company. The higher up, the better - senior partners can get almost anyone invited, associates cannot.

Good luck!

0
Deleted user
on Jul 10, 2020

Dear A,

In your situation with a very low GPA in resume, try either not to show it or get an internship first trhough a referral, and then through the internship try to secure your full-time offer. 

Make you internship as soon as possible that you can have a couple of tries. Ideally you comlete 1-2 internships, before you greduation in consulting.

If you have any questions, reach out to me and I can help you. 

Best,

André

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