Poor GPA- How can I Pass Resume Screens

Hey All,

Whats the best way for me to present my GPA so I can get passed resume screens?

I currently have a 3.41 GPA (5 Semesters). This is due to my Freshman year GPA being a 2.70 (2 semesters). My GPA from Sophomore Year and after is 3.78 (3 semesters). I know that a 3.4 GPA isn't terrible, but it isn't doing me any favors.

Is there anyway I can present my GPA on my resume in such a way that the person who screens my resume will understand that I got my act together? For people who have screened resumes before, do you have any insight on the matter?

Please let me know what you guys think!

 

I didn't MS you, but I bet it's because you used the word "poop".

It's perfectly acceptable to break out your GPA on your resume. Perhaps list your overall GPA and then something like "GPA after freshman year". The thing, though, is that you will have to network your way into interviews. If HR is given a 3.5 GPA cutoff, they will dump your resume.

 
very.chipper:

I would take @Sil's advice over mine, but it just seems weird to put "GPA after freshman year" on a resume. What I suggest to people who have gotten their shit together later on is to include their major gpa. In my experiences most people take more major-heavy course loads in the middle years of college, so this should be higher if you only struggled early on.

I would agree with the "major GPA" part, especially since freshman year is usually just electives/general educational requirements.

 

unfortunately i took some classes in my major in freshman year and did extremely poorly, so my major GPA is barely higher than my cumulative GPA.

I agree "GPA after freshman year" sounds very weird. But i don't know any other way to convey to the screener that I got my act together.

 

It seems like people have given good advice, so I will just provide some encouragement. I got my big college internship with a 3.1 GPA. I played football (typical jock douche bag who didn't study) for two years and got a 3.75 the semester I quit sports. I beefed that up on my resume since it gave me an additional scholarship (I left cumulative off completely), but don't be too worried. Just sell yourself and your improvement and something will come around.

 

I am no expert, but I think it really just depends on each individual situation, if you are a rockstar at everything else on your resume it may be ok to put that on there, however if not, you might want to leave it off. Correct me if i'm wrong. It will take networking with that GPA anyways (not that that's abnormal). EDIT: I just read that 3.0 is absolute cut off. So you should be fine. A 3.2 isn't god awful.

 

I had slightly less than a 3.0 but I had a major/minor from a target with 3 internships and a ton of extracurriculars (teasurer of my fraternity, on the football team, etc) and I never put my GPA on my resume and no one asked me until I brought a transcript to the first day of training. If you have enough other things on your resume those will stick out more because that's what people want to talk about in an interview, not your GPA.

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
 

3.0 should generally be the cutoff. I have a 3.4, and have been asked by a handful of interviewers why my GPA was so low. You should have an answer for this. Also, if your major GPA or some other GPA is higher, I would list that, in addition to your cumulative. But if you don't list a GPA, most people would assume it's less than a 3.0. I would leave it on there. If you network, GPA cutoffs won't matter.

 

don't even put your 1st school on your resume...you will start your GPA from scratch at your new school so when you apply to your summer program just put your anticipated GPA. but if you found it necessary for some reason to include your first school then you will want your resume to list your current school 1st..then put old xxx school... completed coursework towards xxx...

 

You could put a 3.1 on your resume then when you get an offer, before you sign, explain to them the situation and how you 'made an executive decision based on the information presented at hand to omit that semester's GPA.' Something along those lines. If you are not going to stretch the truth you should not even be considering banking.

 

Generally, the HR people and whoever is reviewing your resume will know the quality of your school and what average GPAs are. We get this typ eof info for schools we are recruiting for. It's kind of like when you applied to college, and your high school was either really hard (and admissions officers knew that) or you were in a really crappy high school where you exceled easily. I would mention the citation but don't know if i'd go so far to put the average of the school. It would appear to readers that you are making an excuse.

 

a 2.0 will probably kill your chances unless you can PROVE that the average is 2.0-2.3.  Even so, people in the US will stereotype that so negatively that you probably won't get in.

Best chance is to network and explain.  Sorry if that was harsh but its the truth

 
MadCatz:

a 2.0 will probably kill your chances unless you can PROVE that the average is 2.0-2.3. Even so, people in the US will stereotype that so negatively that you probably won't get in.

Best chance is to network and explain. Sorry if that was harsh but its the truth

it's on the school website

 

I would just put a percentile or class rank on there. Even if your resume states "GPA: 2.5", it won't look as bad if next to that it states "top 5% of class" or "ranked 20/500"

 
jec:
3.62 isn't even that bad. I'd assume lower if not reported.

Yeah thats what I initially thought. But according to the website,

http://www.thecasecoach.com/consulting-resume-how-much-do-i-share-about…

I fall into the range where I should leave out my GPA. The experience I had was I got rejected by AT Kearney even though I am positive I made a good impression during the infosession. (The recruiter actually asked for my name and told me he will remember it) So I am quite certain that my resume was at least reviewed before being rejected. One of my friends with similar academic backgrounds got in without listing his/her GPA.

Hence, I am confused as to whether to leave it out or not.

searching
 
swordfish24:
the link you posted is absurd. how can he recommend people not to list their GPA if it's a 3.7 from HYP? Also, Northwestern as a top 10 school??

Hey Swordfish, thank you for your comments. It does not make sense to me too. I was wondering if you have any feedback for my posted resume in terms of experience, skills etc.

searching
 

resume is good- 3.8+ at an ivy and a 3.6 at what is notoriously a difficult school is real solid. keep applying, your resume isn't whats holding you back

"Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them." - Bud Fox
 
protectedclass:
Completely honest question...why did you go from EE to IE?

Not a move I would have ever even thought about considering curriculum and starting salary.

I found that I did not like doing transistors or digital/analog circuits. Although I like programming, I wanted something that covers cost benefit analysis and larger systems involving people and technology.

searching
 

Look at it like this - you are going to tell them either way.

If you don't list it, you run the risk of having your resume thrown out. If it doesn't and you get an interview, you will certainly be asked about it.

So why delay showing your cards?

- Capt K - "Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. If you want to make ambitious people waste their time on errands, bait the hook with prestige." - Paul Graham
 

Show your GPA. The general rule is that you leave your GPA off if it is below a 3.0. Recruiters know this and make the assumption that you are below the mark right away. The result? Your resume goes straight to the recycling bin (haha jk, banks don't recycle)!

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

I work at a BB and just did a quick flip of our first years resume book.

There were a few people with 3.5's and I even found a 3.2. Who knows what there GPA's were when they applied, but I think it is a fair assumption to say that 3.5, while low, is probably within the range given how tough undergrad recruiting is for the banks right now.

I toss a resume without a GPA for an analyst position. You are coming out of undergrad, that has been your main gig for the past four years. While I would still look at a resume with, say, a 3.1, if you can't own up to your own performance, you probably shouldn’t work in investment banking.

 

altfp - from what I perceive, the median GPA is around a 3.7 but the average is lower (ie there are a few kids with below 3.5, not many with 4.0, lots in 3.6-3.7 range)

My "perception" is based on about 15 kids who are working at BBs from my school who I became better friends with while preparing for super-days lol. You can probably add validity to that since you have a resume book.

 

What year are you now? Heading into your Sophomore year I hope...

I would just put "Major GPA: 3.3" and nothing else. If you are heading into your second year this Fall, make sure you stop fucking around and bring that GPA up.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
turtles:
Take a gap year. Take non-degree classes at get 4.0 in everything. Transfer them back to your current school. That should help

take a year off from school because he has a 3.2 or 3.3?

seriously?

Network OP

I banana back
 
turtles:
Take a gap year. Take non-degree classes at get 4.0 in everything. Transfer them back to your current school. That should help

you can't transfer grades you got at a different institution.

 

I had this same problem lol...partying got the best of me first semester of freshman year and I ended up with a 1.65. After that though I got higher gpa's i.e. 3.8 3.8 so on so forth so I just put after my rounded GPA my two previous GPA's and I had no problem at all landing an internship with networking. Honestly the recruiters and I had a great laugh at that, and it was a great conversation to talk about because it let me stress how much banking actually means to me.

Don't regret having some fun OP...I sure don't. Half the kids on this forum all think it is about getting 4.0's and studying. Of course working hard is a key to being successful, but networking, being confident, and being personable is more important in my opinion.

I banana back
 
Hoogerman:
I had this same problem lol...partying got the best of me first semester of freshman year and I ended up with a 1.65. After that though I got higher gpa's i.e. 3.8 3.8 so on so forth so I just put after my rounded GPA my two previous GPA's and I had no problem at all landing an internship with networking. Honestly the recruiters and I had a great laugh at that, and it was a great conversation to talk about because it let me stress how much banking actually means to me.

Don't regret having some fun OP...I sure don't. Half the kids on this forum all think it is about getting 4.0's and studying. Of course working hard is a key to being successful, but networking, being confident, and being personable is more important in my opinion.

That's nice.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

Thanks Hoogerman, I have been doing lots of networking and definitely have some people to send my resume to. Most of the places to which I will be applying will be recruiting in January/February so by then my GPA should be more in 3.6 major/3.1 overall area, but there is one place that I'm applying to this upcoming semester.

Do you really think it's a good idea to just put my GPA excluding that semester? Should there be some sort of note accompanying it? Would that be better than rounding up to 3.0?

 
Flake:
You don't round a 2.8 to a 3.0, fucknut.

Easy man, I know I fucked up first year and look like a retard. I got into banking my sophomore year and have gotten much better grades since, I also emailed about 300 firms last year and got a legitimate ibanking internship this summer and have been networking and talked to 35-40 alumni this year in an attempt to make up for my horrendous start. So you would say major gpa and nothing else is the best bet?

 

A lot of people fuck up freshman year, but I wouldn't recommend rounding that much, especially with your interviewers potentially having access to your transcript. I would just do Major GPA only and then have some kind of story lined up for under-performing during your first year.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
Flake:
A lot of people fuck up freshman year, but I wouldn't recommend rounding that much, especially with your interviewers potentially having access to your transcript. I would just do Major GPA only and then have some kind of story lined up for under-performing during your first year.

Okay, thanks for the advice, I'll probably do that. Honestly, I know that I will definitely have to explain it at during an interview, but my main concern right now is getting an interview, and I know that I have to have something on my resume to get the interview.

 
Best Response
comeback_kid:
Honestly, I know that I will definitely have to explain it at during an interview, but my main concern right now is getting an interview, and I know that I have to have something on my resume to get the interview.
You DON'T know that. Over the course of the last three years, I've landed six internships (accepted two) and two jobs (accepted one) and no one has ever asked about GPA, major, background, college, favorite color, or any of that stuff. The most important thing is to project competence and connect with the person interviewing you, as they are looking for two things, in this order of priority: A. Do I like this guy B. Can he do the job? Can I train him?

That's it. You're putting the GPA on to get the interview: like flake said, put your major GPA on and if they ask you then explain your case and move on in less then ten seconds. This effectively demonstrates that you've recovered from a mistake and kept moving: something that you need to do on the job.

ALSO: network your way in and DO NOT waste your time with company sites or HR. Both are a black hole, and at best they will waste your time and more likely ruin your chances of working at a company. Go out, meet people, make friends, and find out who's hiring that way......you're going to need this skill once you start working, so you might as well start developing it now.

Good Luck

Get busy living
 

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I banana back
 

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