Why GPA Matters
First, assume that the student in question is a traditional student who will graduate with little or no relevant work experience and plans to work for an employer after graduating. With this assumption, GPA matters to a student. A student should focus serious effort on achieving the highest possible GPA. Not only should the student push for the highest possible GPA overall, they should pay special attention to their major GPA.
Why?
A student’s GPA really only matters for their first job. A new grad has very little to offer a future employer in terms of qualifications, nor many indicators of the quality of employee they will be. What a student does have is a GPA.
For four years, school has been a full time job. For four years, there have been other students performing the exact same tasks. Given this situation, GPA is actually and ideal indicator of comparing the student body.
A high GPA displays two things that an employer would like to have in an employee:
1. Follows the rules
2. Out performs the average
Considering a 2.0 is the minimum required GPA to graduate from most schools, what does a GPA below 3.0 tell a future employer?
1. Does not follow the rules
2. Underperformer
3. Or both
If school is important, then GPA is important. If school is not important, then why be a student?