<p>Hello Everyone, this is my first post here.</p>
<p>I'm currently a Junior at state university, I'm majoring in Economics with a specialization in financial economics. So far I like Economics, I'm almost done taking all of my core requirements and am about to start taking more higher level economics courses. However I might be graduating a year after all of my peers (i know it's horrible). For my first year I went to a community college, got a 3.0 and transferred into a State university, at my first semester here I slacked off on my work and ended up failing 3 of my classes. This was entirely my fault and I have no one else to blame but myself. I have been on academic probation since then, My current GPA is a 1.7. However I've heard that employment prospects are tough to come by after graduation if one doesn't have any internship experience. Now my dilemma is this, how the hell do I get an Internship while I'm in college with my atrocious GPA? I expect to bring it above a 2.0 by the end of the spring semester. </p>
<p>And hypothetically speaking, say an internship opportunity never comes my way and I end up never getting it. What are my options, do I just try my shot at graduate school? </p>
<p>I just want honest responses, whether good or bad. </p>
<p>I hate to say it but I don’t think you have a good chance of getting an internship unless you have amazing connections. Most, if not all, of the internships I’ve looked at require a minimum GPA of 3.2 </p>
<p>The same thing applies for graduate school, a 3.0 is minimum</p>
<p>It’s not impossible to get a full-time offer if you weren’t an intern. It alsoi depends on the competitiveness of the industry you’re interested in. Either try to use personal connections to get an internship, or go to summer school to boost your grades.</p>
<p>Your chances are really slim with that GPA. You might be able to score an unpaid internship, but as others have mentioned, you need to use connections to score a good internship. </p>
<p>Honestly just apply to everything and take whatever you can get.</p>
<p>@ Econguy i understand exactly how you feel. I am Econ major also and i messed up pretty badly last semester too. I can tell you right now internships are few and far for gpas that low even unpaid internships. Its best to build some connections at school that can vouch for your academic ability or wait till next semester.<br>
I would suggest taking internships that probably wont be what your looking for but it will bring great opportunities for networking</p>
<p>I would agree that an unpaid internship would be the best way to get some experience and build from there. Private wealth management practices in smaller cities will often take in any student that wants to work for free.</p>
<p>You can build connections by talking to career services and alumni in your career interest. Explain your situation about your gpa and ask if you could intern for them. Students who have also interned can also give you some advice</p>
<p>Volunteer someplace, so you get to know people. Try non-profits, they always need help somewhere. I don’t know what your main interest is, you didn’t say.</p>
<p>Try to take easy summer classes to boast your GPA. It’ll be pretty obvious when your employer looks at your transcript, but a higher GPA will at least get you an interview where you will have a chance to prove yourself.</p>
<p>I would leave the GPA off your resume, or if your major GPA is good list that. Some employers may ask for it, some may not. I think the best thing you could do is try and get as much internship experience as possible in preparation for FT recruiting and obviously raise your GPA.</p>
<p>Your GPA is a 1.7? I thought it was like a 2.1?</p>
<p>2.0 means they laugh at you snarkily
2.9 means they laugh at you snarkily and throw your resume in the trash vehemently. So close, yet so far. Better luck next time, champ.
3.0 means they will throw your resume in the good pile and then pare it down later without telling you
3.3 gets you a courtesy call where they tell you they are going with a Stronger Candidate (note: capitalization intentional)
3.5 and they treat you with respect during the interview instead of assuming you have a learning disability
3.6 is the GPA of taxguy. Good, but not great. Enough to win the respect of an internet forum.
3.7 and the female HR rep gets all starry-eyed with lust. Even in her incredibly easy major this was a respectable GPA (HR workers don’t understand that majors vary in difficulty). Women love you, men want to be you.
4.0 - they coyly act like your GPA isn’t a big deal in the interview, then call you to offer you the job while you’re driving home.</p>
<p>You need a 3.5, which means you should literally drop out and I am not kidding. Don’t be stubborn.</p>