Assuming all other variables are the same, would you rather hire a candidate with a 4.0 GPA and no EC's or the candidate with a 3.0 GPA and stellar EC's?
I ask this because I have a strong hatred of joining clubs and a very busy schedule. I fear that if I were to spend time doing EC's it would damage my GPA.
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I mean, for a highly technical job, it'd be the 4.0 guy (assuming he had the right major). For a nontechnical job, like IB, it'd be the 3.0 guy (or more likely neither)
If you wanted an unbiased opinion you should have left out the second part. I would personally hire the one with ECs, depending on what they were. Employers usually want well-rounded students. But what do I know...
Well neanderthal's comments about ECs being a time filler for underclassman could not be more wrong. Here is your problem. Even if you get an interview because of a strong GPA, how are you going to sell yourself - your strength can not just be I'm smart. You can't say time management if you are only balancing academics. You need to find some sort of leadership role or extra curricular that will set you apart, prove you have the skills for what you are trying to do. The 4.0 GPA will likely get an interview, but if the 3.0 with strong EC's networks and gets an interview, unless you are an insanely likable person or somehow end up with all strictly technical interviews at your superday (not very likely), the 3.0 will beat the 4.0 in the interview.
Two things just to be clear:
"I have a strong hatred of joining clubs." - This is not okay. You need to correct this attitude.
"Very busy schedule." - Not sure what you're doing, but if you're not in ANY ECs or a job or anything, then very busy schedule means taking 21 credits of hard classes, or 24 credits of normal ones
How many times are questions like this going to be asked? Fuck, use the search function.
3.5 and decent ecs.
ECs are pointless boring bullshit, and if employers didn't come to the mind-bogglingly retarded decision that they were a good criterion for judging people, nobody would join them. I don't have anything to add, just venting.
This. I've tried to get involved with clubs before and feel I've learned very little from them. I just feel there are much better applications of time.
So what are you doing with your time then? If there are better applications of time then you need to be able to explain what you have been doing with your free time.
Personal Portfolio Management Internship (not yet but in the works) Commuting 4 hours per day
Here is my feedback, take it for what it is worth:
1) Commuting won't get you any sympathy points, it will be seen as more of an excuse 2) Internship - Good, make sure you get it and do something productive 3) Portfolio Management - If you are going to list this on your resumeyou have actual knowledge on portfolio management and that you are implementing strategies/can speak to these. And for the most part this better be airtight, I've seen many people who list this as an interest/EC but few actually invest their time into this EC.
To echo what others have said above, do what you love, and also understand that you will be competing against the target/D1 athlete/3.5 GPA/with volunteer experience.
Is there nothing you enjoy doing? Do you have any sort of hobbies? Do you do anything in your free-time?
It's mind-boggling that anyone can literally have trouble finding an EC they enjoy doing.
Professional organizations are horrendously boring. Active participation in my school's professional organization for my major involves forced community service, club dues, and social events with people I have no desire to be around. On top of that, recruiter visits are public and posted on whiteboards throughout the academic buildings, eliminating the only good reason to join.
But I do it anyways for a couple lines on my resume. There is no way anyone can argue that I'm a more qualified candidate for it, but I'd be completely screwed if I didn't.
If you can only a muster a 3.0 in a non-engineering/CS major at a school that isn't a strenuous top target (ie MIT/CalTech/Cornell engineering, UChicago econ, etc.) then you aren't going to have a shot with any ECs in the world--only through nepotism will you have a chance.
What are stellars ECs? I know people who started for top D1 teams (football/basketball/soccer) and were All-Americans (track/swimming) that pulled GPAs much better than a 3.0 and they did well with recruiting, but by no means was it a breeze in the park for those folks. I am going to take a wild guess and say that you probably don't have an EC of that caliber.
You don't have to join a student organization. You can find something you believe in and volunteer instead. At least you'll be making a difference and you might even enjoy it. I do think most student orgs are BS, but general interest organizations can be a good way to meet people with similar interests. A lot of leadership positions are pretty BS as well. There's a bunch of student orgs with like 15 different "leadership" positions.
Why not a 4.0 and EC's?
No one asking dumb questions on WSO has a "very busy schedule"
Are you guys fucking kidding me? For hiring decisions nobody gives two shits about the clubs you were involved in or how time you spent volunteering. The two things that matter are GPA and internships.
No way I give an interview to a kid with a 3.0 under any scenario. I don't care if he is the captain of the football team, class president, and head of the investment club..
I interview people I think are smart. You won't get any sympathy from me if you tell me you were too busy with ECs to do well in the subjects for which I'm hiring you.
Get involved in stuff because you enjoy it, but I promise I will never give so much as a cursory glance at what those activities are. If we ever end up discussing it at length in interviews, I've probably already decided I don't want to hire you and I'm just killing time.
I screened resumes as a banking analyst and PE associate.
Hardooooooooooo
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