College graduates make more money, on average, than those who hold no degree, thus propelling most students toward the common goal of graduation.
But when a student with a C average earns the same degree as a student with an A average, it begs the question: Should students be concerned about their grade point average?
Stan Inman, director of Career Services at the U, said although an employer may not state a minimum GPA requirement, students shouldn’t ignore their GPAs.
“Employers want students to have relevant experience but at the same time, sometimes that relevant experience has a negative impact on your ability to perform well (in school),” Inman said.
If an employer was given a choice between two candidates — the first having a high GPA but no experience, and the second having a lower GPA and a lot of experience — the better candidate would generally be the person with experience, Inman said.
“(However) a student that has a really poor GPA and loads of experience won’t be a good candidate at all,” he said.
According to Inman, one of the largest employers of U graduates is Progrexion, a sales and marketing company.
Jesse Beal, director of recruiting for Progrexion, said a person’s GPA doesn’t factor in when hiring new sales consultants.
“We usually don’t even ask for the GPA. Sales experience definitely takes priority,” Beal said.
At upper-management levels, Beal said Progrexion is more interested in what degree an applicant holds (a bachelor’s or a master’s) than in their GPA.
“GPA (is) not a huge factor that we’re looking at,” Beal said.
Even if employers aren’t concerned about a potential employee’s GPA, there are other reasons students may want to be aware of their academic standing.
Nearly all scholarships have a minimum GPA requirement. Without a high GPA, acceptance into graduate school or medical school is nearly impossible.
According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers “Job Outlook 2007” survey, most employers look for candidates with a 3.0 average or better.
Jency Brown, assistant dean of University College advising, said GPA is only one factor that an employer will consider.
“A GPA over a 3.0 is going to catch more attention than somebody with a GPA below a 3.0,” Brown said. “(A) 3.0 seems to be that magic number.”
If a job applicant has a lower GPA, he or she will have to explain why and compensate by having meaningful experiences, Brown said.
“What you can do with your skills and experiences is…the most important thing,” Brown said.