> We can learn all we want, but GPA is the end-all on how well we understand material and, subsequently, prepare around it.
Interestingly enough, in the ten years and probably fifty job interviews I've had since I graduated from college, not once was I ever asked for my GPA. (The only time in my life was once for a summer internship, during college.)
In college, I wasn't sure if my strategy of trying to genuinely learn, and not cram for tests or cater to teachers' whims, would serve me or burn me. Turned out it was very smart.
But that may only be because I went into software later on, where employers care mostly about the skills you demonstrate in interviews. Whereas for people in law and medicine, it appears your GPA matters a great deal.
I had the opposite experience. It was nearly impossible for me to get an interview with a low GPA. Companies have so many applicants that they just throw out all resumes with a GPA below X, where X varies, but is usually 3.0 or higher.
When I left my GPA off my resume at one job-fair every single recruiter asked for it, from companies varying from a 10 person start up to Cisco.
At one company that I interviewed at because I didn't put my GPA on my resume, I had passed their technical evaluation, we had discussed salary ranges, when I could start, etc. put on the brakes when they were filling out a form for out-of-college hires that required GPA, and I told them.
In the three months from that interview living with my parents to when I got a job offer, I seriously considered whether I should have just lied to them about my GPA.
I ended up in a job I love though (at a company that didn't ask for my GPA), so it ended happily.
I've been asked once. The person had just asked me how many ping-pong balls fit into the room we were sitting in, so that should tell you something about their interviewing abilities.
It is actually one of those famous interview questions. Kinda like the Microsoft one where they asked you why are manhole covers round. Totally useless, since performance in an interview is not indicative on whether an employee is a good fit or not.
I know! It's always defended as a way to "see how the candidate thinks," but that only invites pop psychology assessments. Whatever, the person was a jerk regardless.
Interestingly enough, in the ten years and probably fifty job interviews I've had since I graduated from college, not once was I ever asked for my GPA. (The only time in my life was once for a summer internship, during college.)
In college, I wasn't sure if my strategy of trying to genuinely learn, and not cram for tests or cater to teachers' whims, would serve me or burn me. Turned out it was very smart.
But that may only be because I went into software later on, where employers care mostly about the skills you demonstrate in interviews. Whereas for people in law and medicine, it appears your GPA matters a great deal.