GPA, MFE and interviews

[Moumou]

Hi,

People told me that having a high GPA is very difficult in a very selective program like MFin Princeton or MFE Berkeley unless you're really good. I think that it is easier to get a good GPA in a slightly less competitive program like Baruch or Columbia.

Do you think that having a low GPA in Berkeley or Princeton won't get interviews at top banks?
It may be easier to get interviews with high GPA from Columbia or Baruch...

What do you think?
In my country we don't mention the GPA in our application process... It's very American...

 

[Joy Pathak]

Hi,

People told me that having a high GPA is very difficult in a very selective program like MFin Princeton or MFE Berkeley unless you're really good. I think that it is easier to get a good GPA in a slightly less competitive program like Baruch or Columbia.
..

I wish you were right...

 

[Andy Nguyen]

http://www.iafe.org/html/documents/2009IAFEMemberResumeBookFinal.pdf
http://www.iafe.org/html/documents/2010IAFEMembersResumeBook.pdf

Search the PDF files for resumes of the programs mentioned. Some will mention their GPA, class rank and you can make some judgement yourself. The perceived "difficulty" or "easiness" may be just that, not based on facts. I don't know anyone who can say with authority about the grading curve at each program.

If you are not familiar with the "American education system", google for "ivy grade inflation" and there are plenty of articles on that subject.

 

[mfegrad]

Hi,

People told me that having a high GPA is very difficult in a very selective program like MFin Princeton or MFE Berkeley unless you're really good. I think that it is easier to get a good GPA in a slightly less competitive program like Baruch or Columbia.

Do you think that having a low GPA in Berkeley or Princeton won't get interviews at top banks?
It may be easier to get interviews with high GPA from Columbia or Baruch...

What do you think?
In my country we don't mention the GPA in our application process... It's very American...

first of all, baruch is a pretty stellar program, so you shouldn't be denigrating it.

second, my program didn't allow us to mention our gpas *at all* during the interview process. if a company asked, we were to refer them to the policy. i'm now working and i don't think my employer has ever seen my grades. as an american who went to an american school who now works at an american company, i can't agree with your position that providing your gpa is "very american."

last, and here's the kicker that almost no one pays attention to: getting good grades won't put an md trading offer from gs on your doorstep. you'd be much better off working on your soft skills (while still passing your courses and learning the material) than spending time trying to push for that 4.0. no one will listen to this, of course, but that's the truth.

 

[roni]

You don't have to put your GPA on the resume if you don't want.
If you know your stuff, nobody will ask your GPA. If you don't know what you are doing, a high GPA won't help you.

 

[Joy Pathak]

I got asked GPA once...Completely irrelevant. Almost no one even asks for GPA nowadays.

 

[boneil]

Another question: obviously undergraduate GPA is very important for those first jobs interviews. Do you think it continues to be important for interviews AFTER finishing MFE, MFin? (undergrad gpa, that is)

 

[Alexei]

http://www.hourlycareers.com/resources/education/the-value-of-your-gpa/

 

[boneil]

That article did not add much interesting information, in my opinion.

 

[rajanS]

Hi,

People told me that having a high GPA is very difficult in a very selective program like MFin Princeton or MFE Berkeley unless you're really good. I think that it is easier to get a good GPA in a slightly less competitive program like Baruch or Columbia.

.

FYI, the ACFE seminar, I believe, had 30 students come in. I think 15 dropped out because of the work load. 5 managed to get distinction. 50% is weighted towards final and 50% on homeworks with 7/8 homeworks in total. The probability seminar taught by Dr. Kosygina is a killer I heard. Last year, the highest score was an 80, lowest was a 10. If this is not challenging, I don't know what is.

 

[Moumou]

But when you apply to summer internship or graduate program, you have to mention your GPA on the internet application right?
I heard that sometimes you have to mention every grades that you obtained during undergrad on internet...