what happens to kids who graduate from college with under a 3.5?

[Anonymous]

Graduated with a ~3.0 from a top school (think Columbia, Duke, Penn) and had to forego some opportunities like consulting, but still got into other business facing roles through networking. Spent a few years in Philly which wasn’t my first choice, but then moved to DC and haven’t looked back since. Mostly people just recognized I went to a good school, I generally kept my GPA off my resume and avoided opportunities that required it to make sure I didn’t waste my time. Worked out fine, just try to get a first role and let things come as they may. And no, being from an ivy doesn’t help with getting hired by other ivy grads, it just helped me network within my specific school alumni network.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from a state LAC with a 3.125 GPA. Had a job immediately post graduation. I interviewed last semester of my senior year. Haven’t been asked for my transcript some 30 years later. Solid employment history.

[Anonymous]

I did really well on the LSAT and went to a pretty decent law school.

[Anonymous]

You get a job, do your best, move up the ranks. Just like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

You got to grade school for Education, like I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You got to grade school for Education, like I did.

Sorry, that's go to grad school for education. You can see why my GPA was so low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I graduated with a 2.4 GPA (top 50 school). After the first job, went back to grad school at a ok not known college (with a high GPA), then got a second master's at a top state college (also with a high GPA). After the first job, they never asked for my GPA, only my transcript to show classes I took (high-level job)

GPA only matters for grad school and first job. nobody cares after that. But if you don't have minimum of 3.0 it can be challenging to get that first job in current environment, or to get an internship.
my recent grad said the typical cutoffs were 3.5 and 3.0 for "looking at resumes". Very few did not have at least the 3.0

Grad school or first job are the two most crucial and important steps right out of college.

Obviously....that is why kids struggle to find a job out of college, especially if they do not have a coop/internship experience, with a sub 3.0 gpa. However, once they find a job (any job even remotely related to their field), it will not matter in the future. And most with sub 3.0 do find jobs that required their degree, it just might take them a bit longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one cares about GPA. I had a high GPA (I don't even remember what it was though) and my husband had a dismal 2.something. He makes 5 times what I make now and has never been asked his GPA.

GPA matters for finding the first job and for graduate school. Applying for jobs during a recession (91/92/93), 2008, now and gpa matters even more. Instead of sending 4 recruiters to a university, they send 1, which means only those above certain gpas will even get looked at as possible for that recruiter interview---it's the simpleist way to narrow down the field. Even outside of that situation, the fact is many companies want to see a 3.0 before they interview you on campus or recruit while you are still in college. So yes, a 2.7 kid will be able to find a job, but it will be much more challenging to even get an interview and moreso when times are tight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It surely matters for the first job.
They definitely ask for your transcript.
You'll have harder time getting your first job if you have bad gpa

I had a 3.71 due to extenuating circumstances. I wasn’t asked for a transcript the first three “real” jobs I had. I also got into three top grad schools including Georgetown and Hopkins. Strong recs and rigorous undergrad coursework trump gpa.

[Anonymous]

Low GPA means nothing if you have connections. I just recently hired a 2.4 GPA grad without any experience for a federal government contract job. His mother is an SES Fed at another agency and my DH, a government contractor, reports directly to her. You get the point.

[Anonymous]

My sub 3.0 engineer with no solid internship (covid) just got a job.

[Anonymous]

Grad school generally calculates just the last years for GPA.

This helped me tremendously as a Bio major. My first two years with the required big lecture courses---organic chem, physics, calc, etc. was much lower...and then when I truly got into my major only courses in Jr&Sr year I had almost all As. I had my first C and lots of Bs first two years.

I got a full ride to grad school with a teaching stipend.

[Anonymous]

After first job--(and even then)--college Gpa is irrelevant. The actual degree is all they care about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Low GPA means nothing if you have connections. I just recently hired a 2.4 GPA grad without any experience for a federal government contract job. His mother is an SES Fed at another agency and my DH, a government contractor, reports directly to her. You get the point.

Yes, but if you do not have those connections, it will be much more challenging to find that first job with only a 2.4. My 1200/3.4 UW HS kid graduated college with a 3.4+ and that's after tanking their gpa freshman year as a pre-med major. If they had started in business originally they'd have had a 3.5+ easily. And this is a kid who followed the "Cs get degrees mentality" and was not a striver to get all As. Point is: it's not that difficult to get a 3.0 in college, someone with a 2.4 was not trying very hard and for most employers they know that and would rather find someone with slightly higher gpa, as it shows grit/determination/hard work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Low GPA means nothing if you have connections. I just recently hired a 2.4 GPA grad without any experience for a federal government contract job. His mother is an SES Fed at another agency and my DH, a government contractor, reports directly to her. You get the point.

Yes, but if you do not have those connections, it will be much more challenging to find that first job with only a 2.4. My 1200/3.4 UW HS kid graduated college with a 3.4+ and that's after tanking their gpa freshman year as a pre-med major. If they had started in business originally they'd have had a 3.5+ easily. And this is a kid who followed the "Cs get degrees mentality" and was not a striver to get all As. Point is: it's not that difficult to get a 3.0 in college, someone with a 2.4 was not trying very hard and for most employers they know that and would rather find someone with slightly higher gpa, as it shows grit/determination/hard work

Go make connections if you don’t have any. People complain about frat bros have better jobs over their hardworking college kids because of connections. If you can’t fight them, join them. You have much bigger issues if you can’t network in college or in life.