Your Degree Vs Your GPA.

[justhotkicks]

In the corporate world, experience trumps all. Most employers would rather hire a sure bet over someone with high potential. Some companies exclusively hirecollege graduates, but only so they don't have to pay as much.

A high GPA will get you a job at a larger firm with a better chance at moving up, because some of these firms require a high GPA. My boy who graduated with a4-year degree from RPI is making almost as much as I am (after bonuses). The truth is that he has a higher ceiling than I do. His base salary increased by athird since he started, and his bonus is almost as much as his base. In my profession, my ceiling's already been reached, which is why I want to changecareers.

Low GPA, no experience = Good luck finding a job willing to pay more than $35k
Low GPA, with experience = In this case, your low GPA becomes somewhat irrelevant.
High GPA, no experience = You'll get looked at by a lot of companies who value GPA.
High GPA, with experience = You're most likely at the top of the list.

OR you can go the graduate school route and study something that will guarantee you a position. Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, MPH, anything else health related,etc...

 

[Fong$tarr]

^^^^Very true. If you guys are in college and have a solid grip on what you want to do, intern while you are still in school. It is a tough battle but I wouldhighly recommend it so you can get a decent position straight out of college. Some people do it afterwords and find themselves not making for the next year orso. Also from interning is where you can get some great recommendations to other jobs that you can apply for. It gives you everything that you needreally......experience, reference, and by the time you graduate, a degree.

 

[nkwu11]

From everything I've seen - it's all about the field and experience.

I'm in a similar experience.3 I'm at University of Waterloo...and got completely killed. Twice.

I'm still on co-op and have been impressing employers. GPA mainly applies for Grad School, Accounting, Technical Fields (Computer Science, Math,Engineerings) and if you have zero experience.

If you have zero experience, grades are used as that first layer of defense (Accounting firms are ruthless, and then tech firms). Then it's about theinterview, what you know (soft skills, personality).

When you have previous experience,then grades don't matter nearly as much. A lot of employers know that grades don't necessarily reflect the technicalknowledge they want/you bring to the table.

And yes, obviously networking helps a lot. My boy got a nice gig at Microsoft doing some development I think. This guy failed his first computer science courseand gets medicore/average grades, but he's an amazing talker. once he got that reference he was in.

Grades matter when you're a fresh grad... That's about it...

 

[ballinamillion1]

Wow! This post is really insightful my dudes. I'm goin hard for the rest of this semester and next to get that 3-3.5.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Thanks for the info people.

As a recent college graduate looking for some employment, this thread helps me figure out what I should be aiming for.

 

[Fong$tarr]

Yeah....everyone should polish their people skills. I had 2 people in my high school that aced their SATs but were socially awkward and from what I know 10years later, one is a english teacher and the other one has a desk job. Granted those are jobs and no one should be picky with what they have (especially now)but it shows that knowledge is not everything. Other that I know that didn't even go to college have houses and are pulling 90-100k jobs. It's funnysometimes how life pans out....

 

[alsdaman24]

Originally Posted by Mr Fongstarr

Yeah....everyone should polish their people skills. I had 2 people in my high school that aced their SATs but were socially awkward and from what I know 10 years later, one is a english teacher and the other one has a desk job. Granted those are jobs and no one should be picky with what they have (especially now) but it shows that knowledge is not everything. Other that I know that didn't even go to college have houses and are pulling 90-100k jobs. It's funny sometimes how life pans out....

There are always exceptions which is evident in your case but for most people coming college you just won't find a lot of success if you don't haveexperience and a good GPA.

 

[yungchamp]

c get degrees but a's will have you paid......maybe

long as u got a degree its whateva i guess

 

[curiousgeorg3]

do extracurriculars matter in college like they did in hs?

 

[Fong$tarr]

Originally Posted by CuriousGeorg3

do extracurriculars matter in college like they did in hs?

No....well, not to me. But i am sure it depends on what you want to do. I majored in graphic design and I helped in creating the SF State Magazine so in thatcase, I thought it went hand in hand.....but for what I do now (insurance), it didn't help but maybe if there was something that related to it, then itwould be a factor.

 

[russ tha g]

A degree is a certificate that you know how to learn. If you have a poor GPA, you're telling people you're not good at learning - for whatever reason(lazy, stupid, etc).

If you plan on making money in an earlier stage of life (aside from starting your own business - and it succeeds), you're probably going to need the goodGPA. If nothing else, it's not going to hurt you.

 

[skip2mylou23]

I'm trying to get an internship for the summer but my chances are looking bleak. I may have to just take classes this summer and continue the battle nextsummer.

 

[drunken cow]

would a 3.0ish be consider a good GPA?

 

[dendanskesimon]

Read this entire toopic, and it was real insightful, thanks guys.

No thread hijack, but when youre interviewing, do you think its bad to use an advanced vocabulary, or just do it, without seeming cocky at all?

 

[mister holee]

Degree > GPA

 

[throwedindagame]

Originally Posted by Drunken Cow

would a 3.0ish be consider a good GPA?

depends on your major.

For some it's expected, for some its good, for some its poor.

 

[dlsilva21]

Degree(s): BBA - (1)Corporate Financial Management & (2)Financial Services/Risk Management
GPA: 3.1

I'm just happy to get out in 4 years and with a 3+

 

[rapsteady1]

Originally Posted by ThrowedInDaGame

Originally Posted by Drunken Cow

would a 3.0ish be consider a good GPA?

depends on your major.

For some it's expected, for some its good, for some its poor.

Yeah it does depend on your major. If your heading into the medical field (pharmacist, doctor, etc) it would be best you have something over a 3.5. 3.0 is notbad, but you better have an amazing MCAT score.

 

[dajoka004]

GPA matters. Where you got your degree from matters. Experience matters. Who you know matters.

Of course it differs from field to field, but if I had to rank them, it would be:

1. Who you know
2. Experience
3. Where your degree is from
4. GPA

My advice is to be sound in all aspects of your resume. Who I know has definitely carried me very far. My researchexperience has carried me far. Going to UVa has carried me far. My GPA has carried me far.

Don't get caught with your pants down when it comes to your GPA. A 3.3+ is a cake walk to achieve. If you work hard, you should pull at least a 3.5. If youwork extremely hard, you can pull off a 3.7+.

 

[acidicality]

It does matter....at the very least it helps you at least have an advantage. Your experience (internships, projects, etc.) will also help a lot, but the GPAwill give you a boost. C's get degrees, but in a competitive job market especially in a crappy economy, they're gonna want more (of course, dependingon your field).
As an engineer, I didn't do as well early on but the last two quarters I've gotten 3.5+, I'm hoping to boost my overall to above 3.5 by the time Igraduate, and it's at 3.4 right now.

 

[SneakerProSr.]

I graduated with the minimum gpa to graduate and because of my work experience I got the job.

Basically if your gpa sucks you better have had a lot more going on other than school.

 

[bonafide hustla]

Originally Posted by Drunken Cow

would a 3.0ish be consider a good GPA?

if you serg brother like i think you are, you are good with that where u at. holla at me on the PM if u need help with nabbin some workexperience or general help. i was engr for 4 yrs and i know some folks that can help you out. i hated it but stuck with it for a long time before sayingenough is enough, so i have a pretty deep knowledge bout the system at ut. but with you rockin wit that 3.0 I assume u got everything popping pretty well onall ends.

edit* dont get complacent there though. but you can work that 3 easily with the right connections and connections run deep if u know the right folk

 

[rsdplaya]

if you have a lower GPA, they'll probably test you more in the interview process to see if you know what you're doing.

 

[krazy88s]

Originally Posted by DaJoka004

1. Who you know
2. Experience
3. Where your degree is from
4. GPA

Co-sign. This goes for all degrees.

 

[dublbagn]

most employers dont care about GPA, they just care what you can do for them....now the exception is if you are trying to compete for a top 3 firm in anyindustry, those companies are looking for the best of each years class...top 1% of your class