PWC rejection

We are sorry to hear that. I'm sure you must feel gutted. But don't forget that it's not only what grades you have that matters.

This is an age old question that has been plastered all over tabloids - "My Son got 18 A Levels and is a prefect but Oxford won't take him". Don't forget that many, many (in fact, almost all) people applying for PwC will have a 2:1 or above and some extra curricular activities. So, even though you may seem like you've achieved a lot, and I'm sure that you have, PwC will have hundreds of candidates with similar results. It may have come down to the examples you used in your application form, or that you came across as someone who wouldn't fit in the current team. It may even have been something as trivial as spelling mistakes in your CV/application form. Research the company; if you have contacts in it, ask them for recent developments, main area of focus at the current time; don't waffle - remember HR department will have huge amounts of application forms to read through. If you can say what is required in fewer words, the happier they will be to offer you an interview.

The best advice now is to forget about the rejection and apply to other companies. Seeing as you have reached Deloitte application stage, I'm sure you won't have a problem securing another interview.

Thanks shlobadov,

I understand that academics are not the only parameter in the application process, and believe I am a well rounded individual. Without wanting to blow my own trumpet, I am just really surprised I didn't even get offered to take the tests. Also, I got the rejection only 40 minutes after submitting - so am praying it was a computer glitch... I have checked the print-out of my application and cannot find one spelling mistake. I tried to use varied examples when answering the questions, and don't think I waffled or digressed from the questions asked. My A-Level grades were BCC, but I have medical evidence to show why they were so low (I had ME for over two years) so I don't think it would be that. Job hunting as a grad is so f**king depressing sometimes!

"Job hunting as a grad is so f**king depressing sometimes!"

Yep. Too true.

Well the 40 mins response does sound odd, so I'd email them (and exaggerate the 40 mins a little) and ask them to confirm.

Maybe. But don't hold your breath as even though it might have been a mistake, it's one fewer application to deal with.

Thanks, i'll do that first thing tomo (probably after no sleep!) and post the outcome on here...

Don't worry about it! It happens to the best of us. Just one inexplicable thing in life we've got to deal with.

Maybe you should email them about your extenuating cirumstances. Sounds like that wasn't taken into consideration!

Jungle_boogie (great name btw!) I emailed them and they called me back this morning. I have now spoken to someone who asked about my extenuating circumstances, details of which will be passed on the the person who reassess my application. As this is the only thing they have mentioned to me thus far I am hoping you're right and that they overlooked the fact I had been ill. In my application I referred to PricewaterhouseCoopers as "PWC" as opposed to "PwC" and worried it was something trivial such as that which led to my rejection. However, apparently it was not because of this! I guess I can only wait... In the mean time, thanks for the support guys :D

Nah nay chance they'd of binned you for something as pedantic as PwC/PWC - just the luck of the draw perhaps. I've been accepted through to interview stage with PwC and KPMG and put an identical application into Deloittes but they rejected me, **** happens.

Different firms reject people for different reasons. They all have different things they are looking for so it is not surprising if, for example, someone submits identical applications to Deloitte and KPMG and one is accepted and one is rejected.

Well it obviously wasn't quite identical but you get the idea.

Hmmm, I had a thought last night - did you have ME during your degree too? I mean, you say you're on the way to a distinction in Masters, yet you "only" got a 2:1? Is it a recurring ME and if so, did you mention it in your application? I mean they might not want to employ a person who may get ME again. Sounds pretty horrible if that's the case, though.

imiliano, thanks! LOL.

That's really good that they are looking into it. All the best and keep us posted. Yeah, it wouldn't matter if you said PWC instead of PwC. It would if you said KPMG instead of PwC! :-) :-) :-)

shlobadov, yes, I got a 2.1 overall, but my third year marks were mostly 1sts. Nonetheless, I was happy to receive a 2.1 and not a desmond! I think I meant my A-Levels were only BCC - I wasn't referring to a 2.1 as an "only" or as if it were a low mark! For my MA (I have actually completed it and am just waiting for my dissertation to be marked) I am on track for a 70% - I receive my mark in December. Anyway, it's not recurring and affected me over 4 years ago so hopefully this isn't a concern for PwC now :0 but I guess they could think otherwise. I put it on my application to explain why I had less than the requisite 280 UCAS points (I have 260 excluding AS) as otherwise I would not have been considered at all! Its a bit of a catch 22 I suppose: tell them why I don't have the requisite UCAS points and possibly get rejected because they fear I will get ill again, or, dont' tell them and get rejected outright anyway! When I hear the news (good/bad) I'll post on here :D

Not the best time to apply for TS. All the big4 are either freezing or cutting down on TS and CF grad recruitment.

I have BBC, spot on the 280 but have extenuating circumstances too

Today i got through to deloitte to do the online tests who require 300 ucas points, but today I also got rejected by baker tilly who require the 280 ucas points that i have.

Strange strange happenings.

Hey guys,

I just got asked to sit the online tests :D Turns out it was concern over my A-Levels, and it appears whoever first read my application didn't read the "extenuating circumstances" part - which I had completed in great detail!! Someone called me up and I had to explain my experience, and how it affected my grades, etc.

Good luck to you all!

Good to hear you got through. I sometimes wonder if anyone at the Big 4 ever actually reads the application forms! I was at a first interview the other day, in which the manager interviewing me consistantly made incorrect references to my background. It very much appeared like a 30 second skim through was all that my form had been afforded haha...

i can guarantee there is a 30 second skim through the application form.

hey noob,
I am planning to apply for a audit or restructuring role at KPMG or EY..but the problem is I hav a C grade in GCSE maths..do u think my application will be rejected??
but i got highest grades in A levels(Business studies, economics,statistics),a First degree in business and finance and now i'm studying for a MSc at Edinburgh Uni.. i'm worried because i got a rejection from PwC..

Vivekrao, I think it is worth applying anyway. I really hate this A-Level thing, whereby if you can attain a first at degree level and are competent enough to study for a MSc at a good uni (like yourself) it's still not good enough if you only slightly missed out on the requisite grades. It's almost as if A-Levels are more important than one's degree, or equally so. Although I suppose they need some minimum or ppl with D's and E;s would be applying. Nonetheless, it's Bo**ocks! Anyway, try and submit a really decent application, and fingers crossed they will like the sound of you. If you don't try you'll never know...

Good Luck :D

@Imiliano! That's actually quite good that you've gotten through to the next stage! I figured as much.... It seemed wierd given your qualifications that they wouldn't put you through and I knew they most likely missed out your exceptional circumstances. Good luck with the tests and interviews.

@Vivekrao, Restructuring is one of the best places to be in given the current economic condition. Most of the graduate positions are in audit though so you should be fine either ways.

Vivekrao - one of my friends was in the same predicament as you. she had actually spent a year working at kpmg in a european country, but they still rejected her purely based on her gcse maths grade. she called them up, and said it was vital they had a b in maths. might still be worth applying, but i would call hr first before you spend aaaaages on the application form.

Vivekrao - I applied to KPMG on friday and got an email today saying that my GCSE maths grade (B) was too low to do the ACA, but I could switch my application to ACCA audit. However, I really want to do ACA (so I can move into IB) so am not going to bother switching. I will have to rely upon my PwC and Deloitte applications!

Good luck

I know not technically related but having seen the comments about the skimming over application forms i thought id recall that i was emailed by a big 4 firm to say that there was a gap in my education and employment history and they couldnt continue my application untill i had explained the gap yet on my application there was a huge summary of my gap year and travelling during the time in question. It makes you wonder if they read the application questions like why our firm? what do you think youll be doing? why audit? etc

I know this is a bit off-topic, but I am due to take the PwC tests today/tomo and was wondering if anyone knows what the pass mark is for the numerical part?

And haggiz, I think the ppl in recruitment at the big four are c**p. Why provide space for extenuating circumstances when comments are just ignored!

Im not sure what the pass mark is but in assessment centre i answered 17 out of 20 (im pretty sure i got at least 16 right) and my results were that i was better than 80% of other applicants so i think 14 out of 20 would be fine. i know some ppl work through fast and try and guess some but ive never finished a test and concentrate on getting the answers right usually answer 15-17 questions our of 20 and usually feel confident on the majority of my answers

Imiliano, I was really gutted as well as I was rejected at PwC, now trying to apply KPMG but saw you said that a B in GCSE Maths is too low for the ACA, do you know if I have done International Baccalaureate and did Maths will be ok to apply for the ACA?

ml85 - They (PwC) reassessed my application and I did the online tests yesterday but fear I have flunked the diagramatic/logical reasoning one :( the numerical one was pretty easy though. I'm really not sure about the IB, you may have to email/call them up and ask what their policy is.

Good luck :D

Imiliano - thanks for the advice, do you know the phone number or their e-mail by any chance?

Hi again, just before you respond I just want to let you know, even though I did Mathematics in my IB, what I got was they are pinning me down because of grade B GCSE... I am so gutted, they will only offer me consideration for ACCA program instead.

Do you feel that if I go along, it is still worth it? Since it is will KPMG after all if I do get through the stages and receive an offer. Some suggestions will be much appreciated.

Oh and Imiliano, if you don't switch does it mean it's going to be rejection?

hi all,
thanks very much for all your comments and encouragement.

Vivek