Consider Your Academic Record
Your undergraduate transcripts are an important part of your graduate business school application.
Schools gauge your academic skills by looking at both your GMAT™ score and your previous academic record, including grade point average (GPA).
If you feel that your undergraduate record does not accurately reflect your academic ability, be sure to explain why.
Undergraduate Degrees
Most graduate business programs require an undergraduate degree (or first university degree) from a four-year college or university.
They will consider all aspects of your academic experience, including:
- Where you received your degree
- The difficulty of the degree/major requirements
- The competition you likely faced as an undergraduate
- Your academic performance or GPA, both cumulative and within your primary area of study
- Any trends in your grades (if they improved or worsened)
- Any academic study after your undergraduate degree
International Students
For those applying to US schools, be aware that all academic records must be submitted in English. If you are applying as an international student to countries other than the US, make sure to confirm the acceptable language your credential should be translated into. If your school does not provide records in English or another required language, original-language records usually may be submitted if accompanied by a notarized translation (be sure to confirm that with the admissions office).
Recent Academic Work
Admissions committees will consider recent post-graduate academic work, including coursework taken outside a degree program. On the plus side, your recent coursework may be weighed more heavily as a measure of your aptitude and maturity as a prospective student.
If your school did not use a 4.0 GPA scale, use the table below to determine how your school’s grading scale translates to a GPA.| GPA Conversion Table | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 Scale |
A-F | 100-0 | 1-5 | Four Passing Grades | Three Passing Grades |
| 4.0 | A | 90-100 | 1 | Highest Passing Grade | Highest Passing Grade |
| 3.0-3.9 | B | 80-89 | 2 | Second Highest Passing Grade | Middle Passing Grade |
| 2.0-2.9 | C | 70-79 | 3 | Third Highest Passing Grade | Lowest Passing Grade |
| 1.0-1.9 | D | 60-69 | 4 | Lowest Passing Grade | Fail |
| 0.0-0.9 | F | Below 60 | 5 | Fail | Fail |