What should I prioritize in college as a Business major? GPA, work experience, etc.?

The main reason I am writing this is because if I had known the importance of GPA as well as extracurriculars in regards to getting accepted into college, when I first entered high school, I would have really set my priorities straight early on. I didn’t totally slack off in high school but I know I did not put in my 100% especially in my academics until my junior year, which resulted in me not getting into the schools I’ve always thought I belonged in and was qualified for.

So this time I want to be prepared from the get go, as I enter college. Specifically, as a Business major, what should I really prioritize and to what extent? I’ve always had a love for business and entrepreneurship and I know it doesn’t follow any straightforward path to success, if I am looking for something other than a desk job. Maybe I’ll start a startup or maybe I’ll be happy with a marketing position with a company I really support, I am not sure yet and I don’t even know the paths to get there but I want to take advantage of my time in college.

So how important is a high GPA when getting a job or even applying to Grad school (please explain to me the importance of grad school as well) ? Should I stress getting a 4.0 over a 3.7 or is even a 3.4 already great? Work experience is obviously important, but to what extent compared to GPA? What about extracurriculars? One thing I know for sure is that networking is key and I will keep that at the top of my list of priorities.

I hope I’ve conveyed myself well enough.

Thanks in advance.

You should concentrate on getting both a high GPA (>3.5; 3.6) and good quality work experience. They go hand in hand. Unless you have connections, it is difficult to get quality work experience during college without a good GPA. Generally, GPA, GMAT scores, work experience and recommendation letters are all factors in determining the MBA program you will get into. The better the stats, the higher ranked the MBA program you can get into. Extracurricular activities are considered for graduate school but not as important like in high school for applying to colleges.