yeah, someone just answered my question with this. what do you guys think about that?
2006-12-26 08:25:51 · 9 answers · asked by yennay 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
Whether your GPA matters depends on what kind of job you're applying for. There are many jobs with the U.S. government where GPA could make a big difference when they rate candidates. However, many employers won't care about your grades, just that you graduated. As others have already said, GPA makes all the difference for grad school. The person with the 3.4 and the 4.0 may both get in, but the 3.4 won't get funding.
Do connections matter? Absolutely, but they have to be the right connections. The friends you make in college will probably enter the job market at the same level that you do. A friend who graduates ahead of you may be able to help you get a job with their employer, but for the most part your friends will not be the connections that help you get jobs upon graduation. The connections that will matter at that stage are the parents of your friends, your summer job supervisors, your internship supervisors, your profs, etc. Later down the line, when your friends have established a solid reputation, they will be able to help you +/or you'll be able to help them.
For at least the past decade, every job that I've gotten has come via a contact. People have been willing to do that for me because they know that I will work my *** off, not forget that they helped me, and do my best to help anybody they send my way.
2006-12-26 10:10:03 · answer #1 · answered by pag2809 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
College grades do matter in several ways:
1) Graduate school. If you expect (or even think that you might want to some day) to go to graduate school, then you need good grades (3.5/4.0 or better...). For certain careers like law, medicine, or engineering, grades are very important.
2) Getting your first job. At this point in your career, there isn't a lot to differentiate you from another applicant. While it won't make any difference if you got a 3.2 and another person got a 3.6, it will certainly take you out of the running if you got a 2.6. As you gain relevant job experience, your GPA will matter less and less. After about 5 years of employment, most companies won't really look at your GPA very carefully.
3) But more importantly, I think you need to try your best. You didn't go to college to slack off. This is a time to have fun, yes, but you also need to take the time to learn, grow, and prove to yourself and the world your true capabilities. Will you be happy in 20 years when you look back at yourself as a 'C' student? Or will you be happier knowing you tried your best in everything you did?
2006-12-26 17:54:38 · answer #2 · answered by aedesign 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes it is who you know, but that's only for people like the Bush's. There is NO way in hell G.W. Bush could have gotten a foot in the door of Yale or Harvard, had it not been for his father and grandfather. Bush Junior had a C average and his extra curricular activities was cheerleading. Seriously.
For the normal everyday Joe, YES, grades matter...a lot!
Colleges are so competitive now, if you don't have a 3.0 GPA, you can pretty much expect a rejection letter.
2006-12-26 17:14:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That's not true at all as far as for GETTING INTO college. GPA does matter, and so does your SAT or ACT score, as well as your color & gender.
Now are you talking about once you graduate from college does your GPA matter? No, not especially, (as long as you have passed your classes) then it is "who you know" as far as getting good contacts for jobs and such.
I've been out of college for oh, about 13 years now and have had multiple jobs, no one has EVER asked about my grades in college, they just want to know that I have a degree.
2006-12-26 16:32:31 · answer #4 · answered by Last Ent Wife (RCIA) 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would make sure to at least graduate with a 3.0 GPA from college, in case you want to go to grad school later on.
-Chris
2006-12-26 17:53:10 · answer #5 · answered by christopher_kitchens562 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't see how GPA would matter unless you're applying to a grad school. Then you'll need at least a 3.0. But if you fall too far you'll fail out. So you need a happy medium.
2006-12-26 17:18:25 · answer #6 · answered by eri 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I completely agree with armygal. My sister thought it didn't matter what grades she received in high school b/c her coach "knew people" at the school she wanted to attend. Turns out, he didn't know enough people and she was stuck going to community college to get her GPA up before they would let her in.
2006-12-26 16:34:32 · answer #7 · answered by Col 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It really doesn't matter, unless it's a terrible GPA.
This world is all about WHO you know.
NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK!!!!
You can be Miss/Mister 4.0 and it can mean jack! You gotta know someone!
2006-12-27 01:14:31 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No -- it is not true at all -- especially if you want to do any graduate work.
2006-12-26 18:00:00 · answer #9 · answered by Ranto 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋