GPA Conversion

Does GPA matter for investment banking jobs?

Yes, GPA matters! Bulge bracketBulge Bracket Investment BanksBulge Bracket investment banks are the top global investment banks. The list includes companies such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BAML, and JP Morgan. What is a Bulge Bracket Investment Bank and banks and almost all otherList of Top Investment BanksList of the top 100 investment banks in the world sorted alphabetically. Top investment banks on the list are Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BAML, JP Morgan, Blackstone, Rothschild, Scotiabank, RBC, UBS, Wells Fargo, Deutsche Bank, Citi, Macquarie, HSBC, ICBC, Credit Suisse, Bank of America Merril Lynch investment banks will look at your GPA when applying for a job and you should include it in your resumeInvestment Banking ResumeInvestment banking resume template. Learn how to write an investment banking resume (Analyst or Associate) with CFI's free guide and resume template. The IB resume is unique.  It’s important to tailor your resume to the industry standard to avoid being immediately deleted.  Typically banks screen resumes based on GPA and will often remove anyone below 3.5. However, there is room for an exception here, and exceptional experience may bypass GPA requirements if one can prove competency or high value to the bank.  Use the GPA conversion below and include the number on your resume.

What should I do if I have a low GPA?

The best way to manage your GPA on your resume is to frame it. Create a custom GPA for a subset of courses – Major GPA, Finance GPA, 3rd Year GPA, etc., until you find a way that it looks decent.  In the interviewInvestment Banking Interview Questions & AnswersInvestment banking interview questions and answers. This real form was used by a bank to hire a new analyst or associate. IB interview insights & strategies. Questions are sorted into: bank and industry overview, employment history (resume), technical questions (finance, accounting, valuation), and behavioral (fit) you should explain why you created a subset or special GPA instead of just including your total average.

GPA conversion table

If you don’t go to a school that uses the GPA scale (like in Canada), you can use the table below as a guide.  Note, there can be small differences but this should give you a good idea, as it is taken from the U.S. College Board.

Companies or universities may have varying conversion scales. If in doubt when applying for a position or enrollment, ask the company or university for the grading scale they use. Whenever unavailable, refer to the one below.

GPA conversion tips

When you do your GPA conversion, be sure to include a group of courses that helps improve your grade point average.  For example, if you were really good at finance courses, calculate your “Finance GPA” and display it on your resume.

In addition to showing your GPA, include relevant courses and highlight some of your top grades, for example, Finance 101 A+, Accounting 101 A+, etc.

Additional resources

Thanks for reading CFI’s GPA conversion guide.  To keep learning and progressing your career in investment banking or other areas of finance, these resources will be useful:

• Cover letter templatesUse this Cover Letter Template to Get an Interview!A cover letter can make or break a job application so it’s critical to get it right.  Whether your letter is being read by HR or the hiring manager directly, there are several important boxes you must tick.  This guide provides a free cover letter template and explanation of what you need to know
• Resume templateInvestment Banking ResumeInvestment banking resume template. Learn how to write an investment banking resume (Analyst or Associate) with CFI's free guide and resume template. The IB resume is unique.  It’s important to tailor your resume to the industry standard to avoid being immediately deleted
• Interview questions and answersInterviewsAce your next interview! Check out CFI's interview guides with the most common questions and best answers for any corporate finance job position. Interview questions and answer for finance, accounting, investment banking, equity research, commercial banking, FP&A, more! Free guides and practice to ace your interview
• Financial modeling resourcesFinancial ModelingFree financial modeling resources and guides to learn the most important concepts at your own pace. These articles will teach you financial modeling best practices with hundreds of examples, templates, guides, articles, and more. Learn what financial modeling is, how to build a model, Excel skills, tips and tricks