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Do grades in college really matter ?

MrG

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Originally Posted by leftover_salmon
I never liked working for grades and as a result, have "hit for the cycle": I have earned every possible grade on my transcript (with +/- also), from F to A, including a W (withdrew). I consider this to be an accomplishment (an honest D+ is not easy to get); my academic advisor is less than impressed.

But I wouldn't advise this course of action if you want to ever go to grad school or are trying to get into banking, consulting, or any other high-profile post-college occupation. I just happened to get lucky.


Apparently they give a lot fewer D+s than D-s. It's not a grade they like to give out; I'll tell ya that right now.
 

unjung

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I went to a ****** university, relative to the schools everyone on SF seems to have gone to (excluding Conne). Up here most students feel that GPA is irrelevant unless you're off to grad or professional school. I suspect that's more related to the fact that only a small minority of us up here ever even attempt to secure an entry-level position with a major consulting firm, for example, that might require a high GPA. Is GPA more important in the big schools where you're more likely to join a significant firm out of college?
 

cwh812

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Originally Posted by MrG
Apparently they give a lot fewer D+s than D-s. It's not a grade they like to give out; I'll tell ya that right now.

At that point why even have a + or - ? IIRC every school I attended had + and - for A through C and then just straight up D and F.
 

ComboOrgan

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Originally Posted by Hombre Secreto
Grades are overrated. Dedication and will is more important then grades.

Dedication and will are most of what grades measure
 

bluemagic

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Originally Posted by unjung
I went to a ****** university, relative to the schools everyone on SF seems to have gone to (excluding Conne). Up here most students feel that GPA is irrelevant unless you're off to grad or professional school. I suspect that's more related to the fact that only a small minority of us up here ever even attempt to secure an entry-level position with a major consulting firm, for example, that might require a high GPA. Is GPA more important in the big schools where you're more likely to join a significant firm out of college?

Yes, it is.
 

Hombre Secreto

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Originally Posted by ComboOrgan
Dedication and will are most of what grades measure
Dedication and will can measure anything. Many successful people didn't show dedication and will in report cards, or SAT's.
 

senseigmg

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Don't screw yourself by not caring about grades now. What if you decide to change careers and need those grades. Better to have good grades and not need them than to have ****** ones. I didn't care that much when I was in college, but it made getting into med school a *****.
 

laughwithm3

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It matters
if you have a decent GPA at a good school, it doesn't significantly improve your chances at getting the job, but a ****** one can really hurt your chances because most top school students have high GPAs.
 

bananananana

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Yes it does matter. When I look at resumes for people just a few years out of college, grades definitely matter, maybe moreso than the 1-2 yrs of work experience they have. If they don't put it on their resumes, I assume the worst.
 

MrG

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Originally Posted by cwh812
At that point why even have a + or - ? IIRC every school I attended had + and - for A through C and then just straight up D and F.

To be honest, I can't remember (I don't think I ever received a D or an F at a school with plus/minus grading), but what you're saying sounds correct.

I was just seizing the opportunity to quote Tommy Boy.
wink.gif
 

CBRYDR

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I have had the "Do grades really matter debate" with many of my friends, those you have not gotten past sophomore year of college and those with graduate degrees in business from Harvard, Stanford, Wharton and the answer is "It depends".

If you plan on staying in the corporate world and working your way up the ladder, I will definitely say, yes it is important. If you plan on becoming an entrepreneur, then that's a topic for another debate. To overcome the hierarchal and beuracratic system in the corporate world, you need to distinguish yourself. Good grades is a measurement of performance. The undergraduate program you attend also determines the difficulty to perform at a high level. It's an indication of how you perform with deadlines and how you manage your time efficiently, which will ultimately translate to your performance in the professional world.

When a consulting company like McKinsey, BCG, etc.. looks at a resume, they don't only focus on GPA, but how you distinguish yuorself from other candidates.

So what has this candidate done besides achieving a good GPA?
Have they been able to effectively manage their time by taking 21 credits and acting as president of the Student Finance Association, etc. etc.?

This is a tell tale story of how your performance might translate in the professional world. Getting into a top MBA program, for example isnt strictly about GMAT and undergrad GPA scores. Applicable post undergrad work experience, entrance essays, and fit are all factors in the selection process.
 

otc

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Originally Posted by bananananana
Yes it does matter. When I look at resumes for people just a few years out of college, grades definitely matter, maybe moreso than the 1-2 yrs of work experience they have. If they don't put it on their resumes, I assume the worst.

If I was looking at recent graduates from my school and they had a GPA that was very far below mine, I would be seriously concerned. I know how hard I had to work for my grades (not really that hard in my opinion) and while I know that maybe it comes more naturally to me than others, I can't imagine how dumb and/or lazy you would have to be to get a significantly lower gpa than I did.

Of course if I am looking at resumes from other schools, it gets really hard to tell since I didn't have the same experience. My school had low averages compared to other top schools (and especially compared to state schools) so I would still be wary of people who did a lot worse than I did but its hard to tell. In 5 years, I probably won't be able to make this comparison at all since someone graduating would have had a completely different experience (no overlap with me or anyone younger that I knew while I was in school).

Of course...this is me judging on the merits of "I can do it...so if you are at least as smart as me, you might also be worth an interview". You might have some jackass with a near perfect GPA who feels exactly the same way looking at your resume...
 

leftover_salmon

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Originally Posted by MrG
Apparently they give a lot fewer D+s than D-s. It's not a grade they like to give out; I'll tell ya that right now.

They don't give D-s at my university...it's D+, D, and then F.
 

philosophe

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Grades matter in applications to graduate school and applications for jobs, but one bad performance will not kill you. If your performance is consistently excellent, that's what will be noticed. You may well be asked about tanking micro, so think in advance about how to talk about screwing up. Dealing with one's own screw ups like an adult is something we all prize in colleagues and employees. In the end, maturity, responsibility, humility, and a willingness to learn are incredibly important in life.
 

ektaylor

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Of course, grades matter for most jobs/programs worth while.

For those of you who actually review resumes: how significant is the difference between a 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 4.0?
 

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