Do you think that graduating from college with a low GPA is the end of the world?

I finished my first year of uni age 17 on probation because I pretty much partied my way though. Didn't do a whole lot better when I entered the California community college system. Moved here to Illinois and started from scratch. "No" college experience. I was 25 and wanted a do-over. And so it went.
GPA is, as many have noted, only important when you are in school. And there are often ways around things by thinking creatively. My younger son had a "bad semester" at the beginning of his second year of community college (with a planned 4 yr. transfer). Totally effed his GPA. Couldn't get (transfer) into any of his chosen universities at the two-year mark. Finished retaking the classes and securing an AS with a new 3.7/4.0 and every university he applied to accepted him.It seemed really dire until we figured out what to do.
But there always is a way. Lean on people in the know. Talk to your school counselours and other people you respect. That was the turning point for him--being honest with himself first, then us (me, really) and with the school about what his dilemma was and asking what he could do to fix it.

 

Do you know what they call the person who graduates with the worst GPA in their med school class?


Doctor.

 

A lot of people made valid points about the importance of academic grades. And I agree. The interviews I've had until now have almost always boiled down to discarding the academic credentials of the candidates, and trying to assess their actual competence through conversing and possibly a quick demonstration of skills. I've thrown out top-graded people because of their unbelievable stupidity.

At the same time, however, I would be concerned about a low GPA from an American university. With the stupendous extent of grade inflation throughout the US, as an employer I would be less likely to ask someone like that to come for an interview.

Hell, I'm ambivalent towards US university graduates in general. In most areas, they usually offer less knowledge compared to the same degree level in other developed countries.

EDIT: Disclaimer: This is about entry-level positions only. One would hope the work and/or technical experience would speak for itself for candidates of mid- or senior-level positions.

 

I graduated with a GPA a hair under 3.0 and they hired me full time a few months later. In my time in college, prevailing wisdom went from "don't put your GPA on your resume if it's under 3.0" to 3.3, then 3.5, then 3.7, and it's only reinforced my distaste for the bullshit song and dance routine around getting hired.

 

*punches you in the face, goes back to trying to decipher Dick and Jane*

 

I had a pretty decent GPA, around 3.9... no one asked and I never added it to my resume.

 

You always come around and say the best things in very few words.

 

Only your death is the end of your world - getting a degree proves you can stick with a thing, work to deadlines etc.

 

Your problem is you are in a field that is basically ONLY academic in nature, so yes you made things more difficult for you with a weak GPA. This does not mean its the end of the world though, it just means its going to take you more time or be difficult.

I would look at programs you could get into, even non-degree which could boost your GPA for one thing. I was a lazy ass my first 3 years in college too, this is what I did. In the end I was a better student for it and set most of the curves after that. Sometimes you need to give yourself a kick in the pants.

A second option would be rather than applying the old fashioned way for a academic job, (CV, GPA) is to meet in person. Showing you have passion, explaining yourself and saying "hey I screwed up, but if you could give me a chance I want to show you how hard I will work." may sway some people to give you a chance.

You already screwed up, you know that, but don't add to it by making things worse. Your life is anything but over, its been delayed perhaps, and perhaps it will be a new direction, but the key to success is failure. Successful people fail, and they fail over and over until they get it right. Unsuccessful people give up when they first fail or take an easy route they can't fail on but can't really succeed either.

 

All idealism and idealistic exceptions to the rules aside, Herculite nailed it. A "bad" GPA sets you back, but it doesn't have to cripple you. You can overcome it

 

I graduated from Mechanical Engineering with a 2.5. I thought it sucked but found out later that I was passed over for jobs because perspective employers expected that I would be going to grad school and leave eventually. The average GPA for a graduating ME at the time was 2.1, but I had no idea. I also had a buddy that I had to help pass his last class to graduate as a Nuclear Engineer. He needed to make a B or better to bring his grade UP to a 2.0, which was minimal for graduation. He got the 2.0 and also got the highest entry level salary for a graduating Nuke-E that year. Low GPA is not the end of the world...

 

In England, we don't do GPA but I sympathise with the OP.

I got into one of the top ten universities in the world (not that I knew that at the time), based on good projected A level grades, and a good interview. That and picking an unpopular subject.

I blew my A levels, but talked them into giving me the place anyway.

In my first year I partied too hard, and failed every single end of year exam.

In the summer break I worked like a trooper and retook all my exams the week before year 2 was due to start.

My grades on these exams were off the chart, my worst was in the mid 90% range, and I got a 100 on one paper. So I got into year 2.

An oddity of my college was that whatever you got in a retake was listed as a bare pass in your final grade, so I was through the first year heading for a 3rd Class BSc (a pass, but no honours).

In year 2 I maintained a B average, and in year 3 I lifted that to an A, but this still meant all I could get was a 2ii degree. This however comes with honours.

In my graduating year there was a fierce recession, but luckily my parents had a windfall and with their financial help I was able to get a place on a research based Masters programme, as even with my crappy degree, I had been recognised as pretty bright.

Having the MSc means nobody asks what BSc I got.

As everyone else has hinted, there are more ways to kill a cat than choking it on cream. In ten years, nobody will care what GPA you had, you'll either be a good person to know, or a dick. Pretty much everything you think is important now will be behind you, and you won't know why you cared.

 

Aaaand with my relatively high GPA ( which translates to a 3.5 in a non-engineering field supposedly ) I work in IT, and couldn't get a job in my chosen field, because I'm too smart. Double edged sword of a 'high' GPA.

I knew I should have just gone to medical school

 

No offense to you or your friend, but perhaps someone who can't pass Nuclear Engineering on their own shouldn't be allowed to become a nuclear engineer.

 

He had all A's and B's in his core curriculum (maybe one C), but he took his fraternity activities too seriously, and his non-core classes suffered. The one course he had a hard time with was one of the Mech Engr courses that I had an easier time with. It wasn't relevant to his line of work. By the way he became the head engineer after a few years...

I'm not offended, except for the fact that this person cruised through school on somebody else's tab, while I had to bust hump to get through. He worked when he wanted some extra money, I worked so that I could afford books and classes, sometimes going without food. Nobody on the face of the earth (who hires ) gives a crap about having to make your own way. To me, this is insulting...