Hello everyone,
I am currently preparing for the case interviews for MBB. Regarding my academic background, I finished my undergrad degree with a very low grade (12 out of 20). That said, I have completed my master's degree in a reputable university with a final GPA of 3.7 and have solid work experience in well-known companies (1.5y). From your experience, do you believe I stand a chance of being called for the first round of interviews?
Best regards
Hi there,
In my view, most people stand a chance. The question is always how much of a chance.
Then, the question becomes how do I maximize my chances?
Make sure to do the following:
Good luck!
Your undergrad GPA is the least important thing in there. You had a solid performance in a good master, and that has a much higher weight.
As such, while not a spotless resume, you do have a chance.
Hello,
I think it's certainly worth a shot, and think that networking your way in would be your best bet. The good master's degree should really help here. Prepare to answer any questions about your undergrad, including why your grades were poor. But I don't think that a lower GPA in undergrad is a no-go, given your master's degree and industry experience, so I think there's nothing stopping you from giving recruiting a try if you are interested!
(edited)
In my experience, the overall trendline is important to paint the picture here. From what it sounds like, you have been continuously improving since your undergrad. You also managed to get into your master's program and land your previous jobs “despite” your undergrad GPA. So in a sense, whatever happened during undergrad in terms of grades is water under the bridge. I would say you need to think of compelling reasons as to why you believe you can add value to a consulting firm. What is it that you learned/did over the last years that would make you an asset for each consulting team? On the upside, you might also be able to leverage your undergrad experience to tell some credible stories as to how you dealt with setbacks/failures and what you learned from them. No matter the setup, don't sell yourself short!
You do have a chance but primarily if you are currently at a target school and at a program where they recruit from heavily. MBB tend to largely recruit from certain schools and majors at least in the US and not being in those programs makes it very difficult to get in and will require a lot of networking on your end.
Having a good masters degree is a real help here - the challenge you’ll have is explaining to recruiters why your undergrad was not good. You’ll have to network your way in - I suggest going to all the recruiting events you can find and explaining your situation to the team so that they look out for your resume. Good luck!
