Does GPA Matter when getting a job?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Joso9n2, actually, many universities will NOT allow someone to make up a course they did not do well in at a community college for credit, so that's not really true.</p>

<p>Also, I would agree that GPA is more likely to hurt than it is to help in most circumstances. The reason is simple -- what do employers want?!</p>

<p>According to one book, the following are the top 10 things employers want us to learn in college:</p>

<p>THE TEN SKILLS</p>

<p>1)Establishing a Work Ethic</p>

<p>Kick Yourself in the Butt • Be Honest • Manage Your Time • Manage Your Money</p>

<p>2)Developing Physical Skills</p>

<p>Stay Well • Look Good • Type 35 WPM Error Free • Take Legible Notes</p>

<p>3)Communicating Verbally</p>

<p>Converse One-on-One • Present to Groups • Use Visual Displays</p>

<p>4)Communicating in Writing</p>

<p>Write Well • Edit and Proof • Use Word-Processing Tools • Send Information Electronically</p>

<p>5)Working Directly with People</p>

<p>Build Good Relationships • Work in Teams • Teach Others</p>

<p>6)Influencing People</p>

<p>Manage Efficiently • Sell Successfully • Politick Wisely • Lead Effectively</p>

<p>7)Gathering Information</p>

<p>Use Library Holdings • Use Commercial Databases • Search the Web • Conduct Interviews • Use Surveys • Keep and Use Records</p>

<p>8)Using Quantitative Tools</p>

<p>Use Numbers • Use Graphs and Tables • Use Spreadsheet Programs</p>

<p>9)Asking and Answering the Right Questions</p>

<p>Detect BS • Pay Attention to Detail • Apply Knowledge • Evaluate Actions and Policies</p>

<p>10)Solving Problems</p>

<p>Identify Problems • Develop Solutions • Launch Solutions</p>

<p>(Source: <a href="http://mbaecommerce.blogspot.com/2005/07/ten-things-employers-want-you-to-learn.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://mbaecommerce.blogspot.com/2005/07/ten-things-employers-want-you-to-learn.html&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p>

<p>I'd say your GPA reflects a couple of those--primarily your work ethic and possibly your writing skills, quantitative problem-solving and, to a more limited degree, perhaps general problem-solving--but there's a lot there that GPA simply does not represent well.</p>

42

<p>
[quote]
Joso9n2, actually, many universities will NOT allow someone to make up a course they did not do well in at a community college for credit, so that's not really true.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Is this for private universities, or state universities?</p>

43

<p>That's a good list. Most people worry about high level math but most jobs including Ibanking do not require more than a little algebra, stats, and maybe geometry. Asking the right questions is VERY important and hardest to teach. Also reading people and learning how to get them to help you.</p>

44

<p>When Duetche Bank (an ibank) was presenting here a few weeks ago, they said that they have a cutoff GPA of 3.7, then they look at your rigor of schedule, then they look at relavent work experience.</p>

<p>It totally matters what you want to do when you graduate though. If you are going into something competitive like ibanking, consulting, accounting, etc, then your GPA will matter more and more.</p>

45

<p>If you have a bachelor's degree and stay in your first job for a few years, after your first job, I would be surprised if anyone asked about your GPA when you applied for your second job.</p>

46

<p>I don't see too many people asking about GPA if you've got a lot of work experience. That seems...pointless.</p>

47

<p>I can't find the link any more but it was in the news a few years back that Google asked for SAT score, preferably candidates with 1500/1600 old SAT before they allow them to interview.
As recently as a few years back, a friend graduate from Stanford less than 5 years was asked to provide transcripts before she was allowed to be interviewed.
Then again, it depends on the jobs situation, ie how tight, how robust, but some high tech companies do ask for brand new graduates to provide for transcripts.
A while back, I was asked for my College GPAs after working nearly 20 years.(It was a male Asian guy, seems to value academics)
Furthermore, people seem to interview new graduates differently from experience people. I used to compare questions with other people and that's how I knew.</p>

48

<p>Anybody know what NYU's average GPA is?</p>

49

<p>I think that experience matters a ton when going into that first job, but I know for a fact that when I went into a job interview for a position for which I did not have as much experience as others applying, it was my 3.95 GPA that got me in the interview...where I was able to wow them and get the job.</p>

50

<p>so how do employers look at extenuating circumstances. do they care? I mean, i have a 2.1 gpa right now. but the last two semesters, I’ve had virtually straight a’s (most of my upper division major courswork). if everything goes well, i can graduate with a 2.3-2.4. now the thing is, i’ve been WORKING in fields MY WHOLE LIFE. just a poor (like poverty level) asian kid from the country ghetto. initially, I got a scholarship to a pretty good school back east but because of family, financial, social reasons (poor asian kid at a rich white school doesn’t really work), i had to come back home. I took a year off to help my parents with the farm and to work,then went back to cc, transferred to the local state uni and have been working and paying for my own education since then until last year when i took some time off work and took out a loan because i was on academic probation. Now, there is no doubt in my mind taht i have the work ethic, maturity, and life experience years beyond my peers and I really feel like this gives me an edge, but does it matter to employers? At work I am always one of the best workers and I understand that kind of environment. I know I can get amazing recommendations from my old bosses. but i’m still too new of a transfer student to have built really strong relationships with the teachers in my department, i know the dean and i’ve gotten a’s in both classes i took with him. I feel like i have just as strong mental problem solving abilities but don’t have time to do all the the busy work because of other priorities. and many of these kids who get good grades have no clue about the real world. how will employers look at me? will they even care?</p>