<p>In my major at my school, a 3.3ish is the 66th percentile for the senior class - obviously it changes slightly from semester to semester. However, if you think about it logically and make an assumption that the distribution is aprx normal you would bet that over half of the senior class graduates with below a 3.0 GPA. Now, if over half of the class doesnt get a job - something is VERY wrong! I dont know too many people who would take the risk of going to engineering school with those figures. </p>
<p>Like some others said, the 3.0 cutoff tends to go along with the well known companies. However, even the lesser known companies are going to have salaries that dont have a whole heck of a lot of variation from the larger firms. In fact, I would say that salaries are mostly dependent on the industry you go into. And I would also say that at a decent engineering school about 85-90% of students end up with a job offer.</p>
<p>I know plenty of folks who have great gpa’s who refuse to put it on their resumes. Even have one friend who refuses to show any company any more than his diploma, no transcripts.</p>
<p>^For their first job out of college? Even if my GPA was 2.5 I’d still put it on my resume because if I didn’t I’d be worried they assumed I had a 1.7 or something (I think that’s the minimum to graduate here…).</p>
<p>A lot of companies that use online systems won’t even look at your app if you don’t have a GPA listed for an entry-level job. The only time I can even comprehend not putting your GPA on there is when you talk to a recruiter in person. <em>shrug</em></p>
<p>One thing I love about GPA limits - a good GPA says nothing about a person’s motivation, initiative, creativity, integrity, willingness to contribute to a team, etc.</p>
<p>Yeah GPA limits aren’t the most personal process but sometimes it’s the only logistical way to deal with the huge volume of apps. For example, medical schools might employ some sort of MCAT/GPA filter which could exclude some very passionate but academically poor students. However with a constant influx of applications it’s the only way to filter down an otherwise massive applicant pool.</p>
<p>For campus recruiting the first round of cuts will be based off of competition between yourself and other students. Usually they’ll have alumni that choose a handful of applicants to take with them to the next round. At the campus stage, your GPA of course matters but relative to your class mates–even at a harder school the median GPA might be shifted. </p>
<p>Of course once you make it past the campus rounds (assuming this is a full time offer) I don’t feel that your GPA/school matter as much. There is more an emphasis on how you fit with the company and your interviews.</p>
<p>On the other hand if you apply to a company through their website, I’m not particularly sure, but your school/GPA might matter since it could go to some nameless HR recruiter.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most important component associated with your school is WHO comes there to recruit. You could have a strong GPA but if recruiters don’t come to your school at all, you’ll have a harder time getting the job.</p>
<p>The school you graduate from gets considered as part of your whole app, but not as part of your GPA. The computer doesn’t care what school you went to when it filters out that 2.5 you skated by with, but if you get past the computer to where a human looks at it, they will see what school you went to and that CAN help you, though it doesn’t necessarily HAVE TO help you.</p>
<p>I would say you are in a good position since you mention you have extra curriculars and whatnot.</p>
<p>I don’t know when you graduate but definitely try to grind hard and raise your GPA but more importantly step up to leadership positions in your ECs.</p>