<p>I am always at a constant dispute with myself about whether getting good grades is important or not. Based on what I have read, some people seem to say that employers do not even look at college GPA so long as you get a degree, yet others say it is a deciding factor between candidates or that there is a minimum requirement of sorts.</p>
<p>My question is, how much emphasis do employers place on a high GPA? Will you be out of luck if it is not up to par (even if you are at a top 20 school)?</p>
<p>For reference I am thinking about majoring in either finance, accounting, or economics.</p>
<p>GPA as far as I know is most important for grad school. Employers will look at your GPA for your first few jobs but internships/experience matter more. Of course, given two applicants with equal experience, the GPA would be the deciding factor there. So I think it’s not the most important thing in the world if you aren’t going to grad school.</p>
<p>Based on what I’ve heard from nearly all HR colleagues/hiring managers and what one older cousin experienced when he had a hard time landing a job because of low GPA, you do not want to go below a 3.0…regardless of major/school unless you attend a particularly tough school like MIT, UChicago, Reed, etc. </p>
<p>An older cousin who was a STEM double major was turned down for entry-level jobs and had interviews halted in the middle once his GPA was brought up…and we’re talking only ten-thousandth of a point below 3.0 from URochester. </p>
<p>The HR colleagues/hiring managers recounted that unless the applicant has at least 8+ years of great work experience behind him/her, a sub-3.0 applicant from most schools…even the top-20 would have their resumes automatically sent to the circular file. Common perception among them was that if one graduated with less than a 3.0, he/she was either intellectually deficient in some way and/or exhibited an alarming lack of work ethic during his/her college years. </p>
<p>In short, having a sub-par GPA is a great way to shoot yourself in the foot for most entry-level jobs unless you have some unique skill/talent that the company/business could use to add value to the business or you already secured a job with the family or family friend’s business where GPAs don’t matter.</p>
<p>Also, it wouldn’t make sense to throw money down the drain for slacking in COLLEGE…and it’s when the material actually matters. I think a 3.5+ would be good. For engineers probably 3.0 would be the cutoff…?</p>
<p>^depends on the school. Some engineering schools inflate the GPAs of students and some don’t. Like at Michigan the average engineering GPA is a 2.9-3.0</p>
<p>Don’t read too much into the average GPA. Michigan is likely no harder than its peers. Engineering is hard everywhere, it’s not a cakewalk at UIUC, Georgia Tech, UT, Cornell, Purdue or any of the others. You’re still expected to get a 3.0. </p>
<p>In engineering the biggest cutoff you will see is a 3.0, and beyond that you’ll see cutoffs ranging from there until 3.7 or 3.8 (that would be for banking though). From what I understand, in many majors you will be able to find state jobs with a lower GPA (probably not lower than a 2.5 though, below that you might as well just give up) but the pay will be low. Private sector jobs will be hard to find with lower than a 3.0, except for perhaps a couple select majors.</p>
<p>RoxSox said: “GPA as far as I know is most important for grad school. Employers will look at your GPA for your first few jobs but internships/experience matter more. Of course, given two applicants with equal experience, the GPA would be the deciding factor there. So I think it’s not the most important thing in the world if you aren’t going to grad school.”</p>
<p>I’d really have to disagree with you there. If two job candidates are equal, both with similar work experience and both meeting the degree requirements (without looking at GPA), the deciding factor would absolutely come down to the interview process. Like it or not, companies higher who they like the best. Interviewing skills are extremely important when it comes to landing a job.</p>
<p>Now, a common question on a job interview for somebody seeking an entry level position (without any prior experience) may be “What was your GPA?”. It is a way for the hiring manager to determine if you are smart/hard-working/grasp new concepts/etc. It’s really their only way to do that without any work experience.</p>
<p>Once you get beyond your first job or two, your GPA will not matter at all. </p>
<p>If everyone that got below a 3.0 failed to get a job, unemployment among college graduates would be pushing 25% (compared with the 5 to 6%± it currently is).</p>
<p>Couldn’t agree more. I know people with GPAs below a 3.0 and they had to apply to hundreds of places before they actually got a PHONE interview. Some had to get a Masters degree to make up for their poor undergrad GPA.</p>
<p>Most companies would take a 3.0+ but many require a 3.3, a few cite 3.5 as their cut-off and the top companies want a 3.8</p>
<p>GPA is not only an indicator of your intelligence, but of your work ethic too. Employers don’t want dumb and/or lazy people.</p>
<p>The most important things for grad school are research experience and recommendations. Your GPA just needs to be at a certain level in order to not get auto-rejected by the school (same with GRE score).</p>
<p>well as im going to end up with a 3.3 from a middle tier school i have already planned on going to get my masters and afterwards going to law school.</p>