Hi there,

I agree with Antonello, lack of top GPA/final mark won't necessarily preclude an invitation from MBB but you may need a referral to increase your chances.

You can find more on referrals at the link below:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/hey-everyonehope-all-is-well-3176

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

A merit would have been fantastic, but just completing your masters is a value-add.

Ultimately, your resume is one part of many…and your specific Master's grade is just one factor of many on your CV!

Make sure to build up other experiences, make your resume as strong as possible, and network pro-actively. If you do those things, you will be just fine.

Indeed, nobody asks about grades. Grades actually matter little, it's rather where you are positioned vs your cohort that actually matters. So if you have what to brag about, do it, otherwise leave it aside. 

I had a similar situation in the sense that I finished my bachelors with a first class but my masters I finished with a good grade but without a distinction. Obviously, when I applied I mentioned the first class because that's what helped me shine. 

In the end, you have little bandwidth to be noticed, so better to put there only the things that show your absolute best side. A bit like social media :)

Hi there,

I mostly agree with the other coaches. Would have been “safer” to have a merit/ distinction. Not having it is not a deal breaker. A referral would help (in a way, potentially make up for the lack of merit/ distinction)

Wish you the best! Let me know if you need support with CV review/ case preparation/ etc.

Hello,

Not at all! A merit is a “nice to have”, but the fact that you have a masters in the first place is going to be more important anyway. Besides, MBB care little about grades. Your chances will depend much more on what you did in your undergrad and masters (work experience, extracurriculars). Trying to get a referral would also be very helpful.

Hi there,

First of all, I am deeply sorry to hear about your personal circumstances, whatever they may be!

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I'm happy to give you my perspective on it:

• Generally speaking, consulting companies will have a look at your resume (and other application files) from a holistic perspective. Thus, your work experience, academic records, extracurricular activities, potential referrals aso. all come into play.
• Still, while I agree with what other coaches said about missing out on the “merit” will not necessarily prevent you from being invited, your academic record - especially your cohort rank - is the most obvious criterion consulting companies will look at to decide who to invite.
• Going forward, whether you will still get the “merit” or not (I keep my fingers crossed for you), I would advise you to add your cohort rank for all components of your academic experience. This will make sure for yourself that your achievement is being valued correctly and will help the recruiters not being distracted by a potentially missing “merit”.

In case you want a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare your application files for the upcoming recruiting process, please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen