GPA question - Can I put cumulative GPA for two schools?

So I have a question about how to put my GPA on my resume for the upcoming internship deadlines. I received a 3.97 GPA in one year at one private university.
I then transferred to another school (a much better one) where I received a 3.5 GPA in one semester. Can I put "cumulative GPA" 3.8 with both schools combined...or will they want them separate?

Does Cumulative GPA Include Transfer Credits

Lots of questions come up when putting together a resume and GPAs are definitely high on the list. There seems to be some disagreement about cumulative GPAs among our users but the general consensus seems to be that it is better to list the GPAs from different schools separately.

The reasoning for this is it is more transparent while combining the two may raise questions. Also, if you’re transferring from a community college to an Ivy League school, the difficulty of the classes is significantly different so it may be considered misleading to combine them.

User @ITSALLABOUTTHEEU disagrees and shares this perspective:

Combined and if they bring it up you should discuss. The last thing you want on your resume is 5 different gpas on your resume. The reviewer will get annoyed and potentially through it out.

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Best Response

If you received credit for the courses at the old school at the new school, I don't see a problem incorporating them and reporting the combined GPA. (people do that with study abroad classes - because they count and go on your transcript, which I always thought was bs...so I think you should be allowed to do it too).

 

all of my credits transferred to the new school. I dont understand why a cumulative gpa of my entire college career thus far is not acceptable. its not like im lying

"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.
 
poleandreel:
all of my credits transferred to the new school. I dont understand why a cumulative gpa of my entire college career thus far is not acceptable. its not like im lying
All of my community college credits from taking AP classes in high school transferred to my new school but that doesn't mean I get to include them in my overall GPA. It is two different schools, thus 2 different GPA's.

Of course technically you are telling the truth but anyone looking at your resume is going to be very suspicious when they see two schools and 1 GPA. As others have reiterated, just list one for each school. 3.5 and up is fine especially assuming you transferred to a strong school. Not worth having an offer rescinded or not getting an interview over it.

 

I have community college credits that I did in high school. Obviously I got A's in the 20 credits I took, but I of course do not lump that together with my Princeton GPA to inflate it.

I'd say if you list the two separately, you should list your GPA separately. Otherwise, if you just put "Ivyleagueschool University, cumulative GPA: 3.XX" then you should put a 3.5 because that is the GPA you received at that school.

 

Combined and if they bring it up you should discuss. The last thing you want on your resume is 5 different gpas on your resume. The reviewer will get annoyed and potentially through it out.

"What do you mean, you're gonna pass. Alan, the only people making money passing are NFL quarterbacks and I don't see a number on your back. "
 

Put them separate and if you are lucky they may just put the higher of the two into the system! I have seen recruiters use higher of Major, In-major, transfer, and cumulative before to bump up candidates they like.

 

no i went to a private 4 year school and got a 3.97.

then i transferred to an ivy league school and got a 3.5.

so no community college, but the difficulty is different

"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.
 

Not exactly sure why someone threw crap at me. You need to realize a resume is a tool recruiters used to briefly look at and get a better understanding of who you are. If you have multiple GPA's, as in more than two, I would say it would make the recruiter frustrated to the point where they don't care. They don't have time to look for and come up with why there is so many when they have thousands of applications to look at which are from target schools. When you combine you can explain if it comes up. Chances are it will not.

"What do you mean, you're gonna pass. Alan, the only people making money passing are NFL quarterbacks and I don't see a number on your back. "
 
ITSALLABOUTTHEU:
Not exactly sure why someone threw crap at me. You need to realize a resume is a tool recruiters used to briefly look at and get a better understanding of who you are. If you have multiple GPA's, as in more than two, I would say it would make the recruiter frustrated to the point where they don't care. They don't have time to look for and come up with why there is so many when they have thousands of applications to look at which are from target schools. When you combine you can explain if it comes up. Chances are it will not.
Sorry man but this is just not correct. It is 2 different GPA's. With your reasoning a recruiter wouldn't even want to see the school he transferred him. It is going to look silly to have both schools with 1 GPA listed and it will be brought up.

Clearly the Ivy league school is more difficult, hence the 3.5 compared to the 3.97 before. It is misleading to average out the courses from an easier school to make it look better and if you get caught it could be an issue. I promise there will not be an issue putting both GPA's as this is standard procedure.

 

HENCE WHY IT IS CALLED A CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE.

Ask any MD. You think they got time to look at more than 2 GPAs?

"What do you mean, you're gonna pass. Alan, the only people making money passing are NFL quarterbacks and I don't see a number on your back. "
 

First off why would I ask an MD? Ask an analyst/associate/HR person who will be screening resumes. You will get the same response nearly everyone else in the thread has given.

Who said anything about more than 2 GPA's? Do they have time to look at more than 2 schools? More than 2 internships?

I wish I would have known to put my community college classes in high school as part of my college GPA. Those 20-30 hours of a 4.0 sure would have been nice. And I mean, they transferred to college so it is cumulative.

 

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"Look, you're my best friend, so don't take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you're still livin' here, comin' over to my house to watch the Patriots games, still workin' construction, I'll fuckin' kill you. That's not a threat, that's a fact.

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