The GRE/GMAT vs the GPA

One of the biggest fallacies I see perpetuated on the MBA boards: a high GRE/GMAT can negate a low GPA (or vice versa, though the applicant is usually concerned about offsetting a weak undergrad performance). To clarify: your GPA doesn't matter at all unless you attended a school in the United States. Around the world (and adcom staff are absolutely aware of different grading protocols internationally) we don't see the grade inflation we see in the U.S. So if your international GPA converts to something that's way below your target school's average, that is not a problem. Next, although the average GPA -- and sometimes the GPA range -- gets reported, your adcom reviewers care a whole lot more about the details of your transcript. What courses did you take? Did you challenge yourself? Did your grades follow a pattern, for example, start low and gradually increase, or did you have o...