<p>to go to college if you end up with a sub 3.0 GPA? </p>
<p>Let’s say you go to a good college, but screw up and get a sub 3.0, thus barring you from any decent recruiting opportunities/grad school prospects. Would it have been better to have just gone to trade school? </p>
<p>A B.A. is rapidly becoming the new high school diploma. As such, a degree in and of itself means little in terms of signaling to future employers. Qualifiers such as GPA and grad. school education have become important. </p>
<p>Ha, try telling that to about half of the graduating seniors here who have 2.8’s. Probably depends on your major and whatnot, but a strong GPA isn’t the only thing grad schools and employers look at.</p>
<p>yeah, well, a 2.7 is the average by default in the management faculty, as all classes are centered at a B-. I’ve heard the average quoted at a 2.8 for all faculties. </p>
<p>I’m just trying to stay above the 3.0 mark, cuz im not looking to be an academic.</p>
<p>It honestly depends on your major, the field you wish to enter, and how much you paid.</p>
<p>I don’t think that a sub 3.0 GPA is a curse. You may have trouble landing “good” opportunities straight out of school, but if you are willing to put forth effort after you graduate, good opportunities will present themselves in several years… Few employers care about GPA after you have had job experience.</p>
<p>From various employment seminars I’ve gone to, they care a lot less about your grades than you think. They care way more about what classes you’ve taken (regardless of grades), leadership experience you have, the impression your interview makes, whether or not you are a “team player”, etc. Some people I’ve known who got the best jobs out of undergrad had below 3.0 GPAs. </p>
<p>And I don’t think that a college degree is ever a waste, regardless of your grades.</p>
<p>A degree is going to get you your first job. If you don’t get good grades you probably won’t get a great first job. You can still get a good one if you’ve got good communication skills, experience, etc, it’s just going to be harder. After that your employer is just going to care about your experience though. Guess how many 30 year olds that are switching jobs get asked about their GPA?</p>
<p>If you don’t have the grades, you should most definitely work on your communication and presentation skills. Students who have grades above 3.0 impress employers on their resume, but students with decent gpa’s who have excellent communication skills and a good work ethic usually land the job (If they can get in the interview). </p>
<p>Communication skills should be used throughout your college career to build relationships and “network”. The more people you know, the greater the chances you will hear about an open position or an employer looking to hire.</p>
<p>A high gpa is great, but it is not the only thing employers are looking for. A person who has a 4.0 gpa but can’t communicate well and does not work well with others could lose the job to someone with a lower gpa who can communicate effectively and work as a team.</p>
<p>I did that with the Department of Highways. They never saw a transcript or a college GPA and they gave me a summer internship after a phone interview. A great way to go about getting internships is to email HR directors with a resume and cover letter and ask if they’ve got any positions that will be open.</p>
<p>lets not forget its only FIRST job. so with a low GPA you might have to take a job that’s not as prestigeous. big deal. if you work your way up in the company or get releveant experience, your next job can be as competitive as any.</p>
<p>Even PhD programs are somewhat forgiving for those with subpar GPAs - research and recs matter A LOT more than GPA, and in the case that someone happens to get a bad GPA for whatever reason, but manages to accomplish something novel, he still might get into a decent PhD program.</p>
<p>Kerry and Bush both got through Yale with averages of 76 and 77, respectively. One might argue their “success” at the top, but they did make it up there ;)</p>