"Major GPA" is subjective...

I got into this conversation with my friend the other day and I kind of want to get WSO's opinion of it. Since my friend's cumulative GPA is kind of low (around 3.2), he just puts his major GPA on his CV. He's a finance major, but he's only taken 2 strictly financial courses so far. He's gotten an A in one and a B in the other so far. To me, that's a major GPA of 3.5, but he went on to factor in classes that weren't financial classes into it to boost it up a bit. He factored in classes like Information Systems, Business Computing, and Business Statistics. He also didn't factor in any accounting classes he's taken because he's gotten straight B's in them. Obviously the courses are somewhat relevant, but does that really count as part of your major GPA? Or does it really not matter? What if a firm that wants to interview him tells him to send his unofficial transcript over? Is that an auto-ding right there? If it's not, I might just do the same thing...

 
Best Response

Your friend is playing with his GPA way too much and depending on how far off he is there is a good chance he may have an offer revoked during the background check for lying about his GPA. There are two common GPA's, Cumulative (every class) and Technical GPA (covers all business classes and is usually on your transcript with your Cum.) You can also put a major GPA with all classes that go into your major, but that would be a 3.5 like you said.

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When I look at my unofficial transcript, it doesn't have it. It only has the cumulative GPA. I go to a non-target state school and my friend does, too, if that makes any difference. Are you saying on the actual official transcript, like the one that even students can't easily access, it has it?

 
bearcats:
sure.. your friend
I posted my CV here. The thread is only a couple lines down. My GPA is a 3.7 cumulative, but whatever, think what you want.
philliesphan:
no he can't do that, otherwise anyone can have any GPA by combining their highest classes and justifying each one. i.e. Major in Engineering with only one class taken but factor in classes like technology & society to make it higher
This is what I thought. He's playing with fire. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.
 

no he can't do that, otherwise anyone can have any GPA by combining their highest classes and justifying each one. i.e. Major in Engineering with only one class taken but factor in classes like technology & society to make it higher

 

is this for SA? i dont' want to sound as if i am advocating altering GPAs, but there is definitely the chance that his GPA will not be double-checked for an SA. And in this case, he might at least get a 1st round interview and a shot at an offer.

don't be a dick and rat him out. If his true GPA is reflective of his work-ethic, then hopefully he'll be weeded out in the final rounds or during his SA stint. If he makes it through the SA and gets an offer, then he better bust his ass to pull up his GPA.

 

He's my friend. If anything, I'd go straight to him and talk to him about it. And yes, this is for SA. He's a sophomore, so I guess he's got another year (or at least another semester) to get his shit straight before junior year recruiting.

 

My school gives me my major GPA and it includes all courses taken within the business school.

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