Bad Math Grades for Business/Econ?

Hello everyone, I’m a rising senior interested in finance/econ programs.

I have a good profile with a 101 weighted GPA, excellent ECs, LORS, and essays.

However, I have worse math grades than my others (history, business, science, etc.)

8th: Algebra 1 (100)
9th: Honors Geometry (91)
10th: AP Stats (93), Honors Algebra 2 (97)
11th: IB Math AA Higher Level (89)

4 on AP stats, no other math exams.

Will this disqualify me from T10 econ and business programs? Assuming everything else is fine.

Thanks in advance.

Are the math grades weighted or unweighted?

If weighted, what is the weight scale?

Do you have any SAT or ACT scores? Also, when you say top 10 business/econ, do you mean a “top 10” school’s business or economics department? Or do you mean schools whose business or economics departments are ranked in the top 10 for their fields?

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These are unweighted grades. In my school: Honors is +3 and AP/IB is +9 points.

I’ll be applying to Top 10 schools’ business/econ programs. Such as the entire US News Rankings’ Top 15 schools.

No.

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Those are good grades! Based on grades alone, without knowing the rest of your application or career goals, go for any top school that you can afford and will be happy attending. But remember fit is more important than some arbitrary ranking. Anytime we see both Brown and Columbia on a list we wonder if any research has been done on these schools at all since they are very different (location, curriculum, etc).

I’ll also stress the need to have safeties and likely/matches in your application list as any T15 has far more applicants than spaces available.

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Are you taking AP calc as a senior?
How’s your math SAT?

While I wouldn’t say “disqualify,” it can make it more challenging if the school has doubts about your ability to succeed in your chosen major.
Go get a 750+ on the math SAT, and it would help. Excel in your first semester of AP Calc as a Senior, it would help.

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Not what you asked, but I cannot stop myself: do not let USNews build your college list for you. Build the list yourself based on fit criteria.

If you want to apply to highly selective schools as part of a balanced approach to your list, choose the ones that have the qualities you desire. Consider size, location, affordability, campus culture, religious affiliation, research opportunities, housing, etc. The USNews T15 are not alike across these considerations. Also, applying to all of them will tax your ability to craft consistently strong applications with effective supplemental essays.

Prestige isn’t a fit category, though if you get into one of your most selective/rejective schools, it will come with the territory, along with a highly decorated and accomplished student body.

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Finance is usually in the business school at a university. Economics is usually in the Arts and Sciences school at a university. The two majors have some overlap but are quite different. Both require a decent amount of math.

When you apply you might have to choose between the two. Business schools are usually the tougher admit.

Using the US News T10 list as your list a bad idea. Build your list from the bottom up. Find a few safeties and matches. Then aim high. Investigate why you would be a fit at top schools.

OP is taking IB math. I believe the course listed is the highest level math IB offers. HL is the two-year course and AA indicates the new Analysis and Approaches revised curriculum. I believe it covers many concepts including at least some derivative and integral calculus. Not sure how this stacks up against the AP calc classes.

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