Role of pre-MBA academic performance in MBA applications
Posted: September 8th, 2014, 10:23 pm
[This is an article that we wrote for Pagalguy]
So this time we are taking up another topic that got a few queries – pre-MBA academic performance and its relevance in MBA applications. Two of these came from the readers and one is a logical follow-up to those.
Q1. ajit10 asked - My acads are 10th - 91.7%, 12th - 91.2%. But, in my B.tech I secured only 67% ... I am a fresh graduate...
Most profile evaluation requests that you’ll find on the discussion forum (check out the ‘Ask a Consultant’ thread on most MBA forums) start off this way.
When it comes to MBA applications for most of the top bschools, your undergrad performance is important but your 10th and 12th standard grades don’t matter. To understand why that happens, consider the average profile of applicants to these schools.
On an average, they would have 4-5 years of work-experience at the time of matriculation (i.e. starting the program). This means that the 12th and 10th standard marks are at least 7-8 years old – going back to an era when the applicant’s hyperactive hormonal levels were just reaching equilibrium.
That time frame is much more than the validity for a GMAT score (5 years). So stop worrying about your high-school grades, unless you’ve achieved something (like a state rank) that’s really worth talking about. Focus instead on factors that really influence your success in the program and in your chosen post MBA career.
Q2. rider27 asked: How much does the academic profile matter in getting into a good Bschool? If one has not done well in academics then what are his/ her chances of getting into a reputed school?
Though there’s a fair bit of practicality integrated into the course, at its core, an MBA is still an academic degree. Which means you will be spending a lot of time with your head hidden in books. Some topics will have a heavy emphasis on quantitative and statistical work. Others might involve a multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving. This is why Admission committees consider academic performance as one of the components in evaluating profiles.
Some top schools specifically list out the pre-requisites on their website. This might be in the form of a cut-off for undergrad scores (first class or equivalent). Others are a little more flexible and prefer looking at the bigger picture before taking a decision.
So to answer your question – yes, academic performance does matter and if you have got very low grades (a subjective call), then it can be tough. If it’s low, but not pathetic (again a subjective call), you can still get away with superlative performance in other areas.
Q3. My academic performance wasn’t very good. Can a very high GMAT score exorcise that ghost away? How else do I fix it?
Strictly speaking, a GMAT score is not a replacement of your academic grades and for that reason one can’t fill in for the other. But many schools might give you the benefit of doubt if you can get a high GMAT score and show that your quant and verbal skills are top-notch.
If you’ve got bigger challenges to deal with (e.g. lost an academic year), you still get a change to put up a case for yourself using the optional essay.
For instance, if your low grades were because of an illness or you were busy managing a critical event that involved a huge budget, then bring this to the Adcom’s notice.
You might even be able to use it to your advantage by demonstrating how you’ve gained practical skills that might have been difficult to pick purely from books.
Of course, not all situations are salvageable. So judge the level of damage and try not to push your luck too much with schools that have a higher academic hurdle to jump over.
So this time we are taking up another topic that got a few queries – pre-MBA academic performance and its relevance in MBA applications. Two of these came from the readers and one is a logical follow-up to those.
Q1. ajit10 asked - My acads are 10th - 91.7%, 12th - 91.2%. But, in my B.tech I secured only 67% ... I am a fresh graduate...
Most profile evaluation requests that you’ll find on the discussion forum (check out the ‘Ask a Consultant’ thread on most MBA forums) start off this way.
When it comes to MBA applications for most of the top bschools, your undergrad performance is important but your 10th and 12th standard grades don’t matter. To understand why that happens, consider the average profile of applicants to these schools.
On an average, they would have 4-5 years of work-experience at the time of matriculation (i.e. starting the program). This means that the 12th and 10th standard marks are at least 7-8 years old – going back to an era when the applicant’s hyperactive hormonal levels were just reaching equilibrium.
That time frame is much more than the validity for a GMAT score (5 years). So stop worrying about your high-school grades, unless you’ve achieved something (like a state rank) that’s really worth talking about. Focus instead on factors that really influence your success in the program and in your chosen post MBA career.
Q2. rider27 asked: How much does the academic profile matter in getting into a good Bschool? If one has not done well in academics then what are his/ her chances of getting into a reputed school?
Though there’s a fair bit of practicality integrated into the course, at its core, an MBA is still an academic degree. Which means you will be spending a lot of time with your head hidden in books. Some topics will have a heavy emphasis on quantitative and statistical work. Others might involve a multi-disciplinary approach to problem solving. This is why Admission committees consider academic performance as one of the components in evaluating profiles.
Some top schools specifically list out the pre-requisites on their website. This might be in the form of a cut-off for undergrad scores (first class or equivalent). Others are a little more flexible and prefer looking at the bigger picture before taking a decision.
So to answer your question – yes, academic performance does matter and if you have got very low grades (a subjective call), then it can be tough. If it’s low, but not pathetic (again a subjective call), you can still get away with superlative performance in other areas.
Q3. My academic performance wasn’t very good. Can a very high GMAT score exorcise that ghost away? How else do I fix it?
Strictly speaking, a GMAT score is not a replacement of your academic grades and for that reason one can’t fill in for the other. But many schools might give you the benefit of doubt if you can get a high GMAT score and show that your quant and verbal skills are top-notch.
If you’ve got bigger challenges to deal with (e.g. lost an academic year), you still get a change to put up a case for yourself using the optional essay.
For instance, if your low grades were because of an illness or you were busy managing a critical event that involved a huge budget, then bring this to the Adcom’s notice.
You might even be able to use it to your advantage by demonstrating how you’ve gained practical skills that might have been difficult to pick purely from books.
Of course, not all situations are salvageable. So judge the level of damage and try not to push your luck too much with schools that have a higher academic hurdle to jump over.
