I’m working on applying for summer internships and I’m not sure how I should list my GPA on my resume. I have an associate’s degree from a community college, but now I attend a four-year university. Both of them calculate GPAs separately (as in I’d have to provide two separate transcripts if employers request it).
When job postings list minimum GPA requirements, are they referring to the cumulative GPA of all institutions attended, or the latest one? I could list both GPAs separately but my university GPA–though not awful–is less than ideal for some of the companies I’m targeting.
However, if I calculate a cumulative GPA of all the college courses I’ve taken including the one’s earned for my associate’s degree, it improves significantly.
I’m aware of certain GPA ethics, but I’ve seen different responses to this question on the web. How would you list your GPA in these circumstances?
I would list your current GPA if you feel that it’s relevant. Not all resumes include GPA and it’s okay to leave it off.
in your education section, you list I assume both schools on separate lines. Just put your gpa or your academic awards under each school’s heading.
You can break out your awards in another section if you want too. There are many ways of doing this. Here’s one approach:
EDUCATION
Missouri State University, Location
Sept. 2016-present, GPA: 4.0
Missouri Tech Community College
June 2016, A.A. in Biotech, cum laude
Awarded first place in World Science-a-thon for XYZ project.
Thank you @Dustyfeathers. Do you think if I list it that way, I can still apply to jobs that require a GPA slightly above my university GPA and still get an interview, as my cumulative college GPA will certainly be higher?
You can apply to any job that you want!
Often employers don’t receive resumes that fulfill 100% of their needs and they need to compromise.
That being said, some schools’ career services departments help students place their resumes beyond the HR folks. HR people are more sticklers for that the job is asking for. Often HR will use computers that automatically sift resumes. But if you can get your resume beyond HR to the person who’s actually making the decision, that can help you. Career Services at universities can often help with this. They know an alumni contact who may look at your resume or who may put your resume into the right hands.
Another technique is to ask alumni for “informational interview”. In other words, you’re not applying for a job. You’re asking them about what sorts of positions are available in their industry for someone with your background. Ask alumni for about 15 minutes of their time. Once you meet them, ask them about themselves, how they got their start. Ask them if they see positions available in their industry for someone like you. Before the end of the interview, ask them for 2 names of other people you can speak with. Do the same thing with those names. Each person, ask for 2 more names at the end of the interview. This networking will land you a job. Always follow up with a thank you note to the person and remind them that you’re still looking for a position.
Best of luck.