How Important Are the GMAT/GRE and Your GPA for an MBA Application?

Very important! They are the foundational criteria that determine your ability to succeed in a rigorous MBA program.Your GPA tells admissions whether you can excel in an academic setting. Your GPA is also a measure of the effort and time that you devoted to your previous education.Admissions don’t just look at your GPA, but also your school transcript. Your choice of classes helps them understand who you are. The rigor of the institution and your choice of major also play a factor in the evaluation.The GMAT and GRE are standardized tests that measure a person’s verbal and quantitative aptitude relative to others. Together, the testing score and the GPA, form a better picture of the person’s commitment to excellence.The average GMAT score of Harvard Business School’s students is about 730. (HBS hasn’t provided data for the GRE, but an equivalent score would be about 330.) The average GPA is around 3.67. With these two data points let’s look at the following four possible combinations of GMAT/GRE and GPA.High GPA, High GMAT/GREThere is no doubt that you are a committed to excellence. You have the analytical savvy and the work ethic to land in the “above average” group.But it’s worth to call out at this point that “average” does not mean “guaranteed to be accepted.” You have passed the very basic filter of showing commitment to do the work. But MBA programs don’t admit applicants just because they’re high scorers who perform well in an academic setting—they need well-rounded people who will become leaders in the business world.For example, at Harvard, one of the most (if not the most) important criteria is a “Habit of Leadership.” How does your profile tell a story about your habit of leadership? Your job is to convince the Harvard Business School that you fit their community and meet their admissions criteria.High GPA, Low GMAT/GRESo you did very well in school, but somehow you had a bad test day. This is not as disastrous as it sounds. Your GPA is a cumulative statistic that spans years of effort. Admissions officers give more weight to your GPA than your GMAT or GRE.Also, admissions committees pay attention to your major, your school, your country of education, and your transcripts. A computer engineer from MIT who has a 3.8 GPA tells admissions that the individual has strong analytical abilities and a solid quantitative foundation. Since MIT is one of the most competitive institutions in the science world, it also tells that the individual invested the time and effort to overcome the difficulties in her education. Unfortunately, she scored a 690 on the GMAT, way below the 730 average score. She probably had a bad day or simply could be a bad test taker. In this scenario, her verbal scores on the GMAT and her communication skills will be scrutinized. Did she score low because of the verbal section? Does that mean that she is not a good communicator in English?Understand why you are in this bucket and then proactively address that gap with other elements of your application.Low GPA, High GMAT/GRELooks like a redemption moment. Something happened in your undergraduate education that affected your ability to excel. Yet your test scores show that you carry the necessary aptitude to do the work.If there are any circumstances that could explain your GPA, you should try to explain them somewhere in the application. More importantly, admissions will pay attention to your academic performance throughout the semesters. Did your performance improve or decline? And why? Be honest and give admissions a chance to understand what you were going through.Applicants come from different backgrounds. Some might have contextual challenges that held them back; others might have faced culture shock or unexpected drawbacks. Don’t make up excuses. Admissions officers will be looking for honest, thoughtful self-analysis.Low GPA, Low GMAT/GRENot looking so good here. If there are circumstances that could explain your performance, you must explain them in your application. Even still, you will face an uphill battle to land a spot in a top MBA program. You must find a way to prove that you will commit to excellence and be a valuable member of your class.