Graduating with barely a 3.0 GPA from a top university- should I worry? 5

[AeroDude345]

Hello all,

So I'm about 3 months away from getting my MS degree in Aerospace Engineering from a university that ranks in the top 10 (Georgia Tech). I will be interviewing with companies over the next few months along the West (CA, WA, OR, CO, AZ) because that is where I would really prefer to live. Therefore, anything I can do to increase my chances of getting a job in that region is important, which leads me to my GPA question. I know GPA is trivial in many cases but I still feel compelled to ask about it.

My GPA is not necessarily stellar (but technically not "bad"). I have a 3.0 and that will be the GPA I'll graduate with. Maybe I was burned-out or maybe I'm not too bright, but either way, that is my GPA and I have to deal with it. So, my questions are:


Should I put this GPA on my resume considering it is from a highly regarded school? Or should I not put it on my resume considering it is right around the cut-off line to where they start ignoring job applications?

Will this GPA hurt my chances of employment?? Typically there are 3.0 and 3.3 cut-offs for job applications in aerospace, but I always thought this cut-off was generally for undergrad degrees (considering grad school is a whole different level of curriculum).

Is a 3.0 GPA something to worry about in terms of employment in the aerospace industry?


The reason I am so worried is because I would really like to work in the west, so I don't want anything holding me back. I'm basically just wondering if my 3.0 GPA will hold me back from my goals. Any input would be appreciated!


Thanks!



Also important: My focus within Aerospace is structures, solid mechanics, finite element methods, structural dynamics, etc (you get the idea - anything "structures" related)

 

[SomptingGuy]

My employer asks us to publish CV's on its intranet. I just read one with (1'st) added to the degree. Made me want to puke.

- Steve

 

[77JQX]

You know what they call the guy who graduated last in his class from medical school? They call him doctor. In 6 months it won't matter what your GPA was. The degree is just the beginning. It's up to you to prove your worth on the job.

 

[Maui]

Worry is payment on a debt you may never owe. Don't be too concerned about your GPA. It's very likely that the majority of potential employers will never even ask you about it.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[SnTMan]

Some employers actually prefer not to hire the higher GPA's, a 4.0 can be a barrier. Not sure what the rationale is. I wouldn't worry about it.

Good luck,

Mike

 

[brandonbw]

Can someone explain the doctor joke?

I would say do you know who scored 50% on their engineering tests? Honor students.

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[IRstuff]

The doctor reference is similar to the concept, "C's" get degrees. Everyone who graduates from medical school and passes the 3 parts of USMLE become licensed doctors. But, you can pass with a 70, or you can pass with a 100, which is not something that's readily apparent when you go to the doctor.

TTFN
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[TED7]

I'm the proud holder of a UK "BEng (Ordinary)" meaning I graduated below 'third' but the establishment looked kindly upon me, let me drop a number of credits a year and gave me a 'not quite a degree' degree.

Other than friendly grief from colleagues, it's never caused me a problem.

I have not mentioned my classification in interviews or paperwork as nobody has asked. The only company which did ask employed me the next week.

Designer of machine tools - user of modified screws

 

[Gymmeh]

The cream will always rise to the top.(PERIOD!)

You will quickly see... GPA and University mean next to nothing.

Accept to get through the computer controlled screens!

I had the person with the highest GPA in my office ask me what PSI stood for. (this is in the USA) That is one of the three times in my career i feel sorry i over reacted.

 

[NEO5044]

I would recommend not to put ur GPA in ur resume; when employers interview u they, most likely, start by asking u about what you have on ur resume; if u are open to relocation, with a Master from Georgia Tech you should not have a problem finding a job. Most companies are looking for someone who can easily be trained, so being open to work with others, listening, be responsive and interested in learning their engineering methods are ranked higher than your GPA.
Good luck with ur job search

 

[IRstuff]

While this site's participants are generally tolerant of bad or mangled English from non-English speaking countries, they do frown on textspeak, so please use full words and phrases. English is bad enough as a procedural language for technical topics, textspeak just makes it worse.

TTFN
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[beej67]

A 3.0 at Tech ain't all bad. A 3.5 would put you in the top 5% or higher at GT when I was there. Most of the companies you're going to be interviewing with know that GT GPAs are lower than most other comparable universities, especially if a Tech grad is interviewing you, so don't sweat it. I do agree with the other posters above not to bother to put it on your resume.

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[MiketheEngineer]

Shouldn't be a problem esp if you were working or voluteerign part timer!!

 

[cry22]

Don't worry about it man, most of your competition nowadays comes from people who barely speak English, and that is a far worse problem then your GPA. The GA Tech name will speak volumes for you.
I graduated from a foreign land that not many people even heard of, and I am employed decently in this good old US of A.

GA Tech Vs Third world: Even if you sting, they'll pick the yellow jackets over 4.0 GPA from a community college any day.

 

[geesamand]

Generally, finding good opportunity with a 3.0 is a non-issue, with the following notes:
- As you go from BS to MS to PhD, the GPA becomes ever-more important in the hiring process. A BS with 3.0 will have more willing employers than an MS with 3.0.

That said, engineering programs teach very little in some very critical areas:
- If your 3.0 if offset by other skills, those other skills can greatly outweigh the value of the extra GPA. For example, a student who needed to work part-time to keep income going may have traded study time for time spent working. What skills did that job develop that the study-only students do not have? In my example, that person may have been a bartender and in fact developed exceptionally good social skills that make them likeable and a highly effective sales person. The technical background is a bonus.
- How is your business acumen? Are you good with money and competition? Can you manage people?
- Are you an exceptionally good communicator? Can you excel at taking technical content and making it useful information for those without the technical training?

All departments are in need of "streetable" engineers who might not make the most elaborate MathCAD calculations or derive the most subtle understanding from an analysis, but can make engineering meaningful for the rest of the organization. Determine what it is that you are good at and also like to do that might fall outside of the coursework and find employers who need that versatility.

 

[lookintomyeyes]

If you have a 3.0, I generally have no concerns as an interviewer, as long as you are well-rounded with extracurriculars, hopefully some job experience, and TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS. If you have something less than a 3.0, THEN i worry a bit, as it can often indicate slacking.
Conversely...if I'm hiring for a project-oriented, technical role and someone walks in with a 4.0, I'm usually wondering if a) they'll be happy during project work, and b) if they'll be able to handle the stress that real-world problems create, that theoretical work doesn't have.

So i generally look for people in the 3.0 range.

 

[oldestguy]

Can you generalize and say "in the top quarter of the class"? Gosh maybe no one got beyond 3.5.

 

[SwimBikeRun4342]

It's very encourage to hear these stories of people who have had successful careers and their GPAs were not relevant to their success. I might be in a similar position as the original poster in one year. How do employers weigh the GPA relative to software experience, industry experience, research experience, etc?

 

[IRstuff]

GPA is all about academic experience, and the ability to, often, regurgitate the content of books for tests. Assuming that you want to get a job in industry, then industry experience is the best, since they then now that you can potentially tackle and work real world problems and situations. There are lots of 4.0 GPA students that don't know how use an oscilloscope.

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[steellion]

The purpose of your resume is to get your foot in the door. If you aren't proud of having a 3.0, simply don't include it. If the interviewer asks about your GPA, be honest. Maybe find a way to spin it in some positive way, i.e., 3.0 overall GPA but 3.3 in the core courses.

My GPA in college was pretty good, but I still removed it from my resume when I was looking for job #2. I felt it gave the impression that I was focused on past college accomplishments rather than what I had done since I left school, which is infinitely more important to most employers.

Also, for what it's worth, my first boss said he wouldn't hire someone with a GPA that is too high. I think there is a stigma that if one is that focused on grades, he would be less well-rounded. Results may vary.

 

[crerus75]

I graduated with a 3.8. It was on my resume, too, and I was damn proud of it. However, it was almost inconsequential in the final analysis. The reason I got hired is because I brought my senior project (an electric motorcycle based on a mountain bike) with me in the bed of my pickup truck to my interview. I showed it to the interviewer (now my boss) after the interview. I even invited him to take a ride on the two-wheeled death trap, which he politely declined.

The design and fabrication aspects of my project had NOTHING to do with what I was hired to do. It DID make me stand out in a field of candidates. I also brought a portfolio of some of my projects with me. Those are the things that got me hired, according to my boss-- I represented myself well and I had interesting "cool" projects that made me unique. GPA didn't hurt, but it didn't get me the job, either.