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 Preparation
for Job Search
Resumes
GPA Questions
Should I Include My GPA On My Resume? |
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| The answer depends on your GPA, the career field you are pursuing, and the other qualifications in your background. In technical fields, employers tend to place high importance on GPA, they want to know it, and they are going to ask for it eventually. That's just a fact of life. In fields in which employers care about GPA, if you leave your GPA off, you risk employers assuming that it is very low. (If you have a 2.7 and leave it off, do you want an employer to guess that you have a 2.1?) In some career fields, GPA is not as important a factor in employers' decisions. For graduate students, there is often an assumption that your undergraduate GPA must have been strong for you to be admitted to graduate school, and once in graduate school, strong academic performance is simply expected. If you are uncertain about including your GPA, ask a Career Services Center advisor for recommendations based on your individual circumstances. (Also see other GPA-related questions below.) |
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Should I Include My In-major GPA? How Do I Find It Out? |
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| By the time you are a junior or senior, you have generally established an in-major GPA. Most students have a higher in-major GPA than overall GPA, so it can be helpful to include this — it lets the employer know your area of strength. If your overall GPA is very low and your major GPA is very strong, you could leave off your overall GPA and just include your major GPA. To find out your major GPA, contact your academic department. And again, if you are unsure about what to include, ask a Career Services Center advisor for recommendations based on your individual circumstances. |
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What GPA Is Too Low To Include On A Resume? |
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| There's not one number that's a magic cut-off point — the answer depends on several factors. Don't let anyone persuade you that you have to have a 3.0 GPA or better to include it on your resume. The answer will depend on several things. Are you looking for work in a career field in which GPA is (or is not) important? How competitive is the career field you plan to enter? What other credentials are in your background? Did you work during school to pay for your education? Did you hold leadership positions in school or community organizations? Do you have good experience related to your career goals? Did you start out in a difficult major that hurt your GPA and then raise your grades significantly after changing into your current major? If you are unsure about including your overall GPA, your major GPA, or both, ask a Career Services Center advisor for advice based on your individual situation. |
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