<p>Since Ross' average bba gpa is a 3.7, that means over half the class meets the cutoff for most investment banks. What would be the advantage, say going to Wharton or Stern instead, where getting a 3.7 is much harder. Does everyone at Ross with over a 3.7 apply to the BBs?</p>
<p>That is correct wukong. Employers (not only IBanks) and graduate programs do not care that much whether a university practices grade deflation or grade inflation. All they look at are the GPA, and, in the case of graduate programs, standardized tests (GMAT, LSAT, GRE, MCAT, DAT etc…). In the case of Ross, the GPA is somewhat justified considering the quality of the students enrolled. It is hard to set the mean at C+ or B- when the average student went into the program with a 3.7 GPA during their first year at Michigan (or, in the case of preadmits, 3.9 unweighed GPAs with 1490/33 on the SAT/ACT). </p>
<p>So it would be much easier to get into IB from Ross, than compared to say Wharton, where grades are more deflated? What would be the advantage going to places like Wharton then?</p>
<p>Is that really the average in Ross? lol damn</p>
<p>“In the case of Ross, the GPA is somewhat justified considering the quality of the students enrolled. It is hard to set the mean at C+ or B- when the average student went into the program with a 3.7 GPA during their first year at Michigan (or, in the case of preadmits, 3.9 unweighed GPAs with 1490/33 on the SAT/ACT).”</p>
<p>Are you implying that Ross students are smarter compared to the rest of the student population at U-M? Others certainly disagree, especially those in the College of Engineering. Also, there are plenty of classes at U-M where the mean is a B/B- and most of the kids are academic superstars. I’m sorry if I sound like I am ripping on Ross students.</p>
<p>I’m not saying there is anything wrong with grade inflation. Look at Harvard (<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/06/opinion/trachtenberg-grade-inflation/”>Opinion: Can Harvard stop awarding so many As? - CNN). I’m sure Harvard graduates are doing just fine.</p>
<p>Note: I don’t necessarily agree with the author’s comments, this was just the first article I could find about Harvard’s grade inflation.</p>
<p>777Blue77, while Engineering students and over half of LSA students are on par with Ross students, Ross is mindful that major firms expect higher GPAs and act accordingly. Engineering and LSA are not structured the same way. It is not a question or right or wrong, just a question of philosophy.</p>
<p>wukong, Wharton is similar to Ross in terms of grading, so no, Ross students are not at an advantage. In fact, Wharton students benefit from superior ties to Wall Street. Nobody can match Wharton on that front save only Harvard and Princeton.</p>
<p>The average GPA at Ross isn’t a 3.7, that’s the average for kids that get accepted to the program after their freshman year. There isn’t an official average published, but Ross courses are curved to a B+ which counts as a 3.4 in the bschool. So given Ross kids also can take (and usually do pretty well in) LSA classes too I’d guess that the average BBA GPA is around a 3.4-3.5.</p>
<p>Double post, delete</p>
<p>Man that’s still high…</p>
<p>Inflate our grades too </p>
<p>Alexandre, I’ve actually read from multiple sources the average GPA at Wharton is in the low 3s, and getting high gpa at Wharton is more difficult, they also don’t get 4.4s from an A+. So is it just the Wharton name that gives those business undergrads the advantage?</p>
<p>I’m taking one Ross elective class right now, and the median grade is set at A-minus, which I’m told is the standard for the BBA electives here. People who scored 12/20 on the last exam have A-/B+ grades. It’s insaine. </p>
<p>You read wrong wukong. My conversation with Wharton administrators made it pretty clear that the mean GPA at Wharton is in the 3.6 range. Generally speaking, both Ross and Wharton have generous grading policies when it comes to non-core Business courses. But yes, the Ross students are very fortunate not to face the cutthroat experience that Stern students face. Wharton’s advantage has nothing to do with its “name”. Advantages in the real world seldom have anything to do with “Name”. Wharton’s advantage is very real. It was developed over time and has to do with the quality of the program, with the size and prominence of its alumni base and with its ties with Wall Street.</p>
<p>average wharton gpa is not a 3.6. Maybe for MBA admits or something. Wharton & Stern both practice similarly strict curves. </p>
<p>qwertyzxc, the administrator I spoke to at Wharton said that the grading curve at Wharton is not as pronounced as people think, and certainly not as harsh at the notorious Stern curve. Not that it matters since Wharton grads are prized above all others, save only Harvard and Princeton grads.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of people at Ross getting 4.1s,4.2s etc. with A+ being a 4.4. If MBBs, BBs only look at GPA, wouldn’t this help significantly, or are Ross students expected to get higher GPAs? I’ve heard from several other forum posts that slightly lower GPAs at more grade deflated B-schools are equivalent and will still get you interviews.</p>
<p>Wukong:</p>
<p>I am unsure where or why you think there are grades above a 4.0.</p>
<p><a href=“Recruit at Ross | Michigan Ross”>http://www.bus.umich.edu/RecruiterInformation/InterviewLogistics/GradingPolicy.htm</a></p>
<p>From the link:</p>
<p>BBA: Our BBA program operates with a conventional 4.00 GPA, and therefore BBA students are eligible to indicate GPA on their resume.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.bus.umich.edu/pdf/BBABulletin.pdf”>http://www.bus.umich.edu/pdf/BBABulletin.pdf</a></p>
<p>look on page 31. BBA gives 4.4 for A+</p>
<p>Interesting.</p>
<p>I wonder why they have contradictory statements on their program? </p>
<p>*eta</p>
<p>That’s the first time I actually have a problem with UM grading. I think extra 4.0 scales are ridiculous and pretentious ( and I am married to a Ross grad) and I am disappointed in that. They should absolutely clarify that on their website. </p>
<p>According to the pdf provided by nubswitstubs</p>
<p>"-All BBA core classes grades are to be distributed as: <40% A- or above; <80% B or above; >20% B-or below.
-In BBA elective classes grades are to be distributed as: <60% A- or above; < 90% B or above; >10% B- or below."</p>
<p>This is stupid. What if 45% of the class gets 95% or above on an exam? According to this policy, some of them must receive below an A-.</p>
<p>What if everyone got the same score? According to this policy, everyone would have to receive a B- or lower.</p>
<p><a href=“https://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/policies_forms/acad/graduation.cfm”>https://spike.wharton.upenn.edu/ugrprogram/policies_forms/acad/graduation.cfm</a></p>
<p>Previous person who says wharton’s average gpa is a 3.6 is wrong. The undergraduate wharton average gpa is nowhere close to 3.6, since a mere 3.4 qualifies for cum laude… a 3.6 is summa cum laude. </p>