Hello Aspirant,

I hope you are doing well.

To answer your question, yes, grades do matter, but to some extent.

Some students have excellent grades and are still rejected. The impression of the overall application is what matters, and grades are just one part of it.

On a scale of 0 to 4 (GPA), anything below three is considered moderate. You need not have to worry if you have middle grades. Given below are some things you can do to uplift the overall impression of your application.

• Work experience : Yes, if you have a good/fair amount of work experience, that will be helpful and beneficial to you in your application process.
• Competitive examinations : Score very well in your entrance examinations (GRE, GMAT, IELTS, TOEFL… etc.). This will provide the admission officer with an impression that you are indeed a hard-working person. High scores on these tests can compensate for your low grades.
• SOP, LOR and essays: All of these can drastically affect your likelihood of admission. A striking SOP, LOR and essays are always recommended.
• Extracurricular activities : Apart from your academics, your extracurricular activities also help determine the acceptability your application.
• Volunteering : This aspect will add value to your study abroad application. Demonstrate to the admissions officers that you are interested in the program you are applying for.
• Show any projects, events or research papers you have worked on.
• Pathway programs : If you are willing to join a pathway program, that might be helpful. Pathway programs help students who require extra preparation to be admitted to a degree program at a university.

I hope this helps.

All the best.

Thank you.