High GPA, Low GMAT: Navigating Graduate School Admissions

When you build your application for business or management school, you will want to tell a story about who you are, why you’re applying for graduate school, and how graduate school fits into your goals. Earning your Master of Business Administration (MBA) can provide a well-paying career. According to US News, “among the 124 ranked full-time MBA programs that reported salary data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average base salary plus bonus paid to 2023 graduates was $128,997 [1]. In this article, we will walk through how to build your application if you have a high GPA and low GMAT score in a way that highlights your strengths and sets you up for success in your pursuit of an MBA. 

What is the GMAT?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized exam often required for admission to business and management graduate programs, particularly MBA programs. The GMAT is designed to demonstrate your preparedness for graduate-level academic work but is only one component of your business school application, alongside other components like your academic record and work experience. 

GMAT sections

The GMAT is primarily a computer-based test consisting of four parts: Quantitative, verbal, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing assessment. It adapts to your ability level as you go, meaning the difficulty of the test adjusts based on whether your responses are correct or incorrect. The test includes multiple-choice questions and an analytical writing assessment. The multiple-choice sections cover quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, and integrated reasoning. You will most likely provide multiple responses to the questions in the integrated section.

Quantitative section

The quantitative section of this exam tests your mathematical skills and ability to solve problems and work with real data. The questions will be in topic areas such as basic math calculations, statistics, and geometry. This section focuses on your ability to analyze and infer rather than being a true “math test.” You need to practice your problem-solving skills to prepare for this portion of the GMAT.

Verbal section

The verbal section of this exam evaluates your reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and grasp of the English language in written form. In this section, you’re showing admission committees that you can identify the structure of an argument within the text and that you have an appropriate command of the English language to succeed in business and management spaces. 

Integrated reasoning section

The integrated reasoning section measures your ability to evaluate information presented differently. You’ll have questions in graphical, text, and numerical forms. In this section, you show that you can quickly identify the main content within the image or text and think critically about it. 

Analytic writing assessment 

When taking the analytic writing portion of the exam, you will write an essay to show your ability to think through problems and communicate your solutions. You will read a faulty argument and then analyze and explain why it is invalid. You’ll want to structure your essay systematically and ensure an appropriate flow because a human and a computer will determine your score for the written section based on organization, logical analysis, and language skills. 

Does your GPA or GMAT score matter more?

When crafting your business or management school application, you shouldn’t focus too much on your GPA or GMAT specifically because while those matter, the admissions committee will also consider your positive character traits such as curiosity, resilience, collaboration, and leadership. It’s important to remind yourself that you are not just a test score or a sum of numbers; you are a complete person with unique experiences, strengths, perspectives, and accomplishments. 

Admissions committees look at your application holistically. This means your GPA, GMAT scores, work experience, essays, and interview performance all play a role. While a high GPA or a strong GMAT score can certainly bolster your application, no single component is likely to be the sole deciding factor in most cases. 

High GPA, low GMAT: How to build your application

You can have many combinations of qualifications when applying for business and management school, including a high GPA and low GMAT score that you combine with stellar extracurriculars, well-written essays, proven leadership qualities, and letters of recommendation. Through the process, remind yourself that admissions committees look at your application as a whole, and no one component will make or break your application. Let’s review some tips for highlighting your strengths while offsetting a low GMAT score.

Highlight your GPA and academic achievements.

Your GPA and academic records are critical components of your application, so if you have a high GPA, especially in challenging courses, emphasize this. Highlight any academic honors or awards and any particularly relevant courses or projects that showcase your abilities and dedication to your field of study.

Show your work experience.

Real-world experience within a professional business setting is a valuable part of your application. Detail your professional achievements and elaborate on your skill development in relevant areas. These abilities include leadership experience, project management, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Real-world business experience can often speak louder than test scores. If you have experience in a business-related field, highlight what you contributed to your team and how the business school would expand your skill set in meaningful ways.

Prioritize strong letters of recommendation.

Recommendation letters are a great way to showcase your abilities and potential as a graduate learner for a business school. Choose recommenders you have worked with in a close, professional capacity and who have a personal relationship with you, particularly those relevant to your desired field of study. Strong, personalized recommendations can enhance your application.

Tell a story with your essays.

If your GMAT score is not as high as you’d like, your essays are another way to make your application come alive and showcase your personality. You should talk about your experiences, motivations for your application, long-term goals, and how this program aligns with your career aspirations. You want to use personal examples to make a case to admissions committees that you will be successful within their program and be able to contribute to their graduate school community.

Consider retaking the GMAT.

One option is to consider retaking the GMAT. Many applicants take the test more than once and improve their scores the second time. Reflect on why your score was lower than expected and develop a plan to build skills in weaker areas, such as data interpretation, when solving complex problems. You can also research the programs you’re interested in and their specific GMAT requirements. Some programs might also accept the GRE as an alternative, which could be a better option for you, especially if you don’t have much experience in a quantitative field such as finance, science, computer programming, or statistics.

Speak with an admissions counselor.

If you aren’t sure whether your GMAT score will prevent you from being considered, reach out to admissions counselors to navigate your concerns and learn more about what the particular program looks for in its applicants. Many schools have differing perspectives and valuations on individual components of the application. They may have different admission requirements, so finding schools that fit your strengths can set you up for success.

Polish your resume.

A polished resume is another way to highlight your achievements outside the classroom. Many MBA programs require work experience before admission, so you can use this as an example to demonstrate why you will successfully pursue your master’s degree. Additionally, you can explain how your professional background will benefit the program and connect your experience to how this institution will contribute to your professional growth.

MBA career options

Although earning an MBA can be challenging, you can have many exciting career opportunities, such as being a financial manager or information technology manager, once you complete your degree. Here are eight careers you can pursue with an MBA and their average salaries:

• Financial manager: $104,909

• Informational technology manager: $130,992

• Management consultant: $81,524

• Medical and health services manager: $100,188

• Marketing manager: $82,634

• Business intelligence analyst: $85,607

• Chief executive officer: $165,861

• Human resources manager: $82,261

*All annual base salary data is sourced from Glassdoor as of April 2024 and does not include additional pay, such as commission and benefits.

Get started with Coursera. 

You can build skills to enhance your business or management school application by taking exciting courses on the Coursera learning platform. Brush your mathematics skills with a course like Algebra: Elementary to Advanced - Equations & Inequalities, offered by Johns Hopkins University, or the Business Statistics and Analysis Specialization offered by Rice University.