Myth: You must have above a certain GPA or GMAT score, or don’t bother applying because you won't make the minimum score
The fact is, the GPA and GMAT scores are the very first things the admissions readers see—and the least important. They typically spend about as much time looking over your GMAT score and transcript as you have just spent reading this sentence: that’s right, about 5.7 seconds. Sure, the official spokespeople for the admissions offices will always say, “we consider every part of the application very thoroughly…” or words to that effect. Of course they do! But realistically, how long does it take to digest a college transcript? I can see at a glance that you’re an engineer who took a few classes in French literature for kicks, and of course the obligatory “Human Sexuality” class pass/no-fail sophomore year. Duh! I’m a fast reader! And how much time does it take me to see that you scored a 580—or a 780—on your GMAT? If it’s a 580, my reaction is, “Okay, so you’re not too great at standardized tests—now show me what you got.” If it’s a 780, my reaction is, “Okay, so you’re a whiz at standardized tests—now show me what you got.” Note the similarity.
Getting through business school does require a certain base level of brainpower. You don’t need to be a math genius to get passing grades, but if you’ve never grasped the fundamental principles of calculus, for example, you will struggle in many classes, because the basic concepts of statistics and finance are founded on calculus. For an outstanding applicant with a low GMAT score or poor academic credentials, the admissions committee must consider whether the applicant can realistically make it through the program, or will fail academically. In these rare instances, the admissions committee would probably contact the applicant and recommend they take some introductory or preparatory classes prior to entering the regular MBA course of study—a calculus primer or review course, for example. Some business schools offer these the summer before regular classes begin in the fall, or during the first few weeks of the regular school year.
So when you hear an admissions officer say at the next open house function you attend, “we don’t have any fixed formula or minimum required GMAT” don’t scoff— believe them! Test scores are merely used as an indicator of whether an applicant can cut the mustard academically. If you really and truly bombed the GMAT, or you failed out of undergraduate in spite of every effort to pass, then you should think twice about going to business school, because it’s going to be really, really hard for you to pass the courses. But otherwise, and for the vast majority of candidates, scores and numbers constitute a relatively minor consideration in the overall application.
Finally, assuming you’ve already completed college and taken the GMAT, your GPA and GMAT score are two things you can no longer influence. In decision-theory terms[1], they are “sunk costs” or “the dead hand of the past.” You can’t change the past, so why worry about it? Focus instead on the parts of the application you can affect: the essays, the letters of recommendation, and the interview.
[1] Which is to say, in MBA terms. MBA’s naturally think in the vocabulary of economics, finance, game theory, statistics, operations, and so on. If you don’t already think like this, you might as well start now and get used to it.
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