Are you screwed for life if you don't graduate with a GPA > 3.0?

[Qianglong]

Is your degree practically worthless if you don't graduate with a GPA > 3? Especially if you want to try to get into Big 4 for accounting or pretty much any jobs after graduation? I am in Toronto Canada, UofT for your info.

I am getting B+ in my accounting courses but every economics course just kills my GPA.

I heard Big 4, if you apply online, will automatically reject your application if your GPA is lower than 3? Will knowing managers there who can refer you help a bit?

Will good working experience, 5 years worth in total, through co-op and own jobs will well known companies (IBM, Intel, HP) offset the weak GPA a little?

 

[hypn0tik]

w00t! UofT FTW!!

 

[PurdueRy]

No, but it will be much harder to find your first job. After that, experience rules.

 

[Specop 007]

I had a whopping 2.8 GPA. Hasnt affected my career at all.
Course, I wouldnt say I'm on the fast track to the exec's suite either.

 

[QED]

I've never applied or worked for a place where your GPA was any significant factor in deciding to hire or not hire.

Get your first job, and after that it doesn't really ever matter again.

 

[jhayx7]

Originally posted by: Qianglong
Is your degree practically worthless if you don't graduate with a GPA > 3? Especially if you want to try to get into Big 4 for accounting or pretty much any jobs after graduation? I am in Toronto Canada, UofT for your info.

I am getting B+ in my accounting courses but every economics course just kills my GPA.

I heard Big 4, if you apply online, will automatically reject your application if your GPA is lower than 3? Will knowing managers there who can refer you help a bit?

Will good working experience through co-op and own jobs will well known companies (IBM, Intel, HP) offset the weak GPA a little?

When I would interview people, I would always ask what thier Major GPA was. I think that counts more than your entire GPA because it represents how well you did in your chosen field (not in Biology, Music App., Underwater Basket Weaving).

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: Qianglong
Is your degree practically worthless if you don't graduate with a GPA > 3? Especially if you want to try to get into Big 4 for accounting or pretty much any jobs after graduation? I am in Toronto Canada, UofT for your info.

I am getting B+ in my accounting courses but every economics course just kills my GPA.

I heard Big 4, if you apply online, will automatically reject your application if your GPA is lower than 3? Will knowing managers there who can refer you help a bit?

Will good working experience through co-op and own jobs will well known companies (IBM, Intel, HP) offset the weak GPA a little?

There are some companies that ask for your GPA, but in my experience most do not. I agree with PurdueRy... you maybe hurt at the start and have to settle for working at a different company or in a lower position than you had hoped, but after that on-the-job performance and experience can take you where you want to go.

 

[ngvepforever2]

Originally posted by: MathMan

I've never applied or worked for a place where your GPA was any significant factor in deciding to hire or not hire.

Get your first job, and after that it doesn't really ever matter again.

At least for a CS major experience >GPA (in most cases)

GPA cannot be measured so easily by an employer because it depends on how tough your college is.

Regards

ng

 

[SirStev0]

depends on whether or not you have a slacker major or not...

 

[aswedc]

Note that everything I am saying may only apply to the US.

The Big 4 online apps are a big black hole. All new hire recruiting is basically done on campus. Check with your career office to see when each firm is visiting to conduct interviews. You'll do the first round at school, then a second round at the office.

If your GPA is 2.x, you don't have much of a chance. When a large office brings in hundreds of new hires each year it is automatic disqualification. I'd say your best shot is for a winter internship (interviews will occur August - October). Most people want to do summer internships, and winter internships are right in the middle of busy season, so it's the easiest time of year to get your foot in the door.

Good luck...

 

[NaOH]

Experience >>> GPA....

GPA is a load of crock. A bunch of my classmates have higher GPA than me soley based on the fact that they did grade replacement. Some of them have failed more than one class but yet have a higher GPA than me....... go figure. I guess doing good enough in a tough class to pass it the first time through with a B- is worse than failing the class and having to retake it with an easier prof. to get a B+?

All that aside, I still did better on my interviews for the companies that did not have a GPA requirement. I got the job offers and those with the higher GPA didn't, so meh.

 

[pclstyle]

hate to say it, but a "1" or "2" leading your gpa just looks pathetic.

Low 3's are workable, but don't be surprised if you get filtered out of the applicant pool, especially at bigger corps.

 

[DaShen]

My GPA was terrible, but I have the skills to do okay, so I just built up experience. But it definitely made things very difficult.

**EDIT**
I almost always took the hard professors though (I would intentionally take the people that other students said were tough), and I never dropped a class. So that is part of it. Dumb on my part for not considering the GPA factor at the time. Also, dumb on my part that I didn't work very hard my frist 3 years in college.

 

[Tiamat]

yes, one of my buddies graduated with a 2.24 GPA with a BS in Comp Engineering. He is working for IBM now earning 67k$ salary plus benefits. This was from Northeastern University.

You have to have admirable interview abilities to get them to look the otherway for low GPAs. I would suggest you start visiting your Career Services department and learn how to interview to ensure you will be successful in getting a job.


Some jobs care greatly on GPA though. YMMV

 

[junkerman123]

for first job, it pwns you.
economics is ez, get ure sh1t together.

 

[DaShen]

Originally posted by: ngvepforever2

Originally posted by: MathMan

I've never applied or worked for a place where your GPA was any significant factor in deciding to hire or not hire.

Get your first job, and after that it doesn't really ever matter again.

At least for a CS major experience >GPA (in most cases)

GPA cannot be measured so easily by an employer because it depends on how tough your college is.

Regards

ng

QFT, but this guy seems to be a business major. I don't know if anything under a 3.0 GPA will fly in business.

 

[tfinch2]

For every 1 person that succeeds with a low GPA, there are 9 more that crash and burn.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: AMDUALY
Experience >>> GPA....

GPA is a load of crock. A bunch of my classmates have higher GPA than me soley based on the fact that they did grade replacement. Some of them have failed more than one class but yet have a higher GPA than me....... go figure. I guess doing good enough in a tough class to pass it the first time through with a B- is worse than failing the class and having to retake it with an easier prof. to get a B+?

All that aside, I still did better on my interviews for the companies that did not have a GPA requirement. I got the job offers and those with the higher GPA didn't, so meh.

Welcome to the liberals way of life. You dont have to earn it, your entitled to it.

 

[pclstyle]

Originally posted by: AMDUALY
Experience >>> GPA....

GPA is a load of crock. A bunch of my classmates have higher GPA than me soley based on the fact that they did grade replacement. Some of them have failed more than one class but yet have a higher GPA than me....... go figure. I guess doing good enough in a tough class to pass it the first time through with a B- is worse than failing the class and having to retake it with an easier prof. to get a B+?

All that aside, I still did better on my interviews for the companies that did not have a GPA requirement. I got the job offers and those with the higher GPA didn't, so meh.

yes, you can ramble forever about how the system is worthless and how people can abuse and manipulate it to come out on top, similar to say- the SATs, but the fact of the matter is- if a company requests to know what your GPA was, it will definitely hold some weight. And don't delude yourself into thinking that a 2.0 is going to be glanced over nonchalantly- it will HURT you- who gives a sh!t if you took all grad level classes if you bombed them.

But on the flip side, they likely won't worship you just because you graduated MCL from some 2nd tier school with a 3.95/4.0. But it definitely won't harm you, whereas a 1.0/2.0 will leave a lasting impression- and not a good one.

And when applying to a competitive position, where the average GPA of applicants is probably 3.8-4.0, you really don't want to stand out as being "the guy with the 2.0".

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Originally posted by: AMDUALY
Experience >>> GPA....

GPA is a load of crock. A bunch of my classmates have higher GPA than me soley based on the fact that they did grade replacement. Some of them have failed more than one class but yet have a higher GPA than me....... go figure. I guess doing good enough in a tough class to pass it the first time through with a B- is worse than failing the class and having to retake it with an easier prof. to get a B+?

All that aside, I still did better on my interviews for the companies that did not have a GPA requirement. I got the job offers and those with the higher GPA didn't, so meh.

Welcome to the liberals way of life. You dont have to earn it, your entitled to it.

While I agree with that statement, what the fvck does that have to do with what AMDUALY said?

 

[FortFunFoSho]

I am a college recruiter for our company and I would say if you have below a 2.8 we wonder about you. The biggest thing for us is what did you do with your time in school and do you fit who we are loking for.

So to answer your question, this fortune 300 company does not look for a 3.0+ only.

 

[blazerazor]

Originally posted by: SirStev0
depends on whether or not you have a slacker major or not...

Please define these majors.

Now this 'Underwater Basket Weaving', I'm GOOD AT!

 

[amish]

as many people said, it's more about work experience and personality.

when i graduated i had ~2.5 IIRC. had a year working at an airline in their tax department. then moved up to a big 4 firm. all you need is a personality, a good recommendation, and good experience.

edit: if something is obvious that you can't cut it, you won't get in.

 

[James3shin]

Experience >>>> GPA

 

[Quasmo]

Not if you're an art major, then its your portfolio that counts. I could fail out of school but if my demo reel kicked ass, I could get any job I wanted.