3.1 GPA with no internships in EE: What are my job prospects?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>Okay, I'm a fourth year EE student. I'm going to be a five year student though. My first three semesters in college were pretty bad. I came from a small, rural town in Oklahoma. I graduated with 4 other people in my class. The only math classes offered at my high school were Algebra 1, 2, and Geometry. The only science classes offered were Biology 1, 2, and Geology. So basically my entire academic career at that point I have never been challenged at all. I came into college and was pretty much shell-shocked. My first semester I did horrible all around. My next two semesters I tried harder but I never had any developed study habits at all. By the end of my third semester I was finally able to get better at studying. I ended that semester and my GPA overall was 2.3.</p>

<p>My next semester I finally did better. I was only able to pull out a flat 3.0 GPA but I was very pleased with it at the time. Since then I've been doing better. All of my GPAs have been in the 3.0-3.4 range. This has pulled my GPA up to about 2.88. My GPA will probably drop a bit this semester because I'm struggling Solid State Electronics, Microwave Engineering, and Ancient Greek Culture. (I'm terrible at history and humanities classes.) But overall by the time I graduate in May 2013 I should have a 3.08 GPA.</p>

<p>My problem is that I've never been able to get an internship of any kind. Because of my sub-3.0 GPA right now, everyone at career fairs and everything will turn me away before I can even say anything to them. Since I couldn't get one this summer, I'm just going to get some easy retail job or something and take a few summer classes. I'm going to take a few business classes this summer actually. I want to take all of the core business classes at my school as something to kind of set me apart. I won't have time to get a full minor though unless I want to stay even longer at school. Anyway, once next semester starts I'm also going to try to get an unpaid research assistant job with one of my professors. I know one who really likes me and I kind of want to work with him anyway. Hopefully he will give me a good Letter of Recommendation afterward.</p>

<p>So anyway, how tough will my job search be when I graduate with all of these factors:
-3.1 GPA
-No internship experience
-Volunteer research experience
-Has taken extra classes in economics, finance, and accounting but no business minor.</p>

<p>I don't know if it matters but what I want to do is something in either the telecommunications or signal processing field.</p>

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<p>If you meet your goal (I don’t see why you can’t exceed it though), you should be fine. You may not have a job with a signing bonus before graduation, but you’ll find a solid job as an electrical engineer assuming your program is ABET accredited and whatnot.</p>

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<p>Internships are a definite plus, but far from mandatory. You still have time to get some under your belt though, correct?</p>

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<p>Oogley what state are you from?</p>

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<p>Oklahoma. How come?</p>

6

<p>Internship availability sometimes depends on location.
I live near silicon valley in CA…internships are fairly easy to find.</p>

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<p>Yea… I feel ya man. This one of the reason why I’m going to switch from EE to CS. In CS, you can create your own experience… you can make yourself into a good programmer.</p>

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<p>IMHO, you need to work in EE this summer. </p>

<p>Any reason you can’t work with that professor for free over the summer for credit as a research course, and get an A, which counts towards your major? You may have to pay minimal tuition, but so what. </p>

<p>You’re right on the edge of being competitive for a lucrative career. You DON’T need to work in retail this summer. Invest in yourself. Take a loan for the minimal amount of money you’d otherwise make.</p>