I don't think flatulence relieves muscle stress. But I'm not a doctor so... *shrug*

 

Better out than in, amirite?

 

Your username is pretty disturbing in this context.

 

And addition.

 

Yeah, this is so true. Of the last four jobs I've had, three of them were because I knew someone there [for the other job, they desperately needed my skillset] My current job was quite literally because of "my brother's friend".

 

Do the people in the US actually care about GPA? I mean most of the universities there are practically degree factories as far as I can see.

Where I live we have failure rate on courses of about 25% on average and maybe 5% get the equivalent of an A unless the course is really easy. Of course our education is free so our professors are under no pressure to pass us or give us inflated grades for our university fees... And no employer gives a shit about your GPA except if it's too high, then it's a sign that there is probably something mentally wrong with the person and he/she won't be able to work in practical environment but would probably do ok locked in some closet developing algorithms with no social contact.

 

:facepalm And I thought Americans were supposed to be the ignorant and arrogant ones. GPA does indeed matter at most US universities, and if "as far as you can see" most US universities are degree factories then you need your vision checked.

The US is home to a huge number of extremely well respected universities, where the students have to work very hard to graduate in good standing. Also, if an employer makes the jump in logic that a high GPA means the person is mentally wrong then I don't think they will be hiring anyone for very long.

Obligatory funny picture:

 

My college didn't care about my SAT scores, and my employer didn't care about my GPA, so nope, not really.

 

Depends on where you go to school and where you apply from. If the employer/graduate school has experience hiring from your place of education then no, GPA and test scores matter less, but otherwise they matter quite a bit.

Especially true for people just out of school with little experience.

 

Well shit. I had a huge post almost all typed up and then BAM.

Anyway, I'll happily continue this thread derail, so here's my two cents.

My experience is different than most since I went to college after a stint in the military because (a) I was a lazy, immature shit in high school and (b) I had zero money and never heard of things like student loans. Yeah, I grew up in a dead-end little backwater which I am infinitely grateful to be out of. I spent my time in the Navy growing up and deciding I might want to help the environment, so in that last year of service I took the SAT and applied to colleges. I was accepted by every one I sent an application to, though that didn't seem odd to me. I was a decorated veteran, an adult serious about school, and I could afford to pay for it - why in the world would any school turn that down?!?

Sure, I didn't apply to Oxford or Cornell, but I didn't exactly send a crayon drawing to DeVry, either. I settled on a school and went on to graduate with honors, though only just. I firmly believe that my GPA was a big selling point in the first couple jobs I landed, though I'd be lying if I said the military service wasn't also a big help. Now, I still keep my school facts on my resume and a small blurb about the military highlights, but the bulk of a two-page resume covers details of projects I've completed or just worked on that someone in my field would recognize and understand.

In my work (civil engineering), prospective employers who do their homework will check your background and references, make some calls and ask some questions about you if you come looking for a job. I know that if I were interviewing a fresh grad whose GPA was less than, say, 3.0-3.3, I'd be asking some pointed questions about his/her work ethic and where his/her priorities lay while in school. Every case is different and a person who had to foot the whole bill for school while juggling a job and studies, or a full-ride scholarship athlete is going to get more leeway from me than a kid who had no job and no stress but still pulled a 2.5 in his major.

That said, I know more than a few guys whose college grades were atrocious but I'd hire them in a heartbeat because they get shit done. One of my best friends from then and now had awful test scores but is the kind of person that if he tells you he'll get something done, by god it will be done and it will have been done correctly. I've heard it called "stick-with-it-ness" but it's also called work ethic and taking pride in what you do.

That's enough soap-boxing. I think GPA matters a hell of a lot, especially when you've got no experience in your field on which to hang your hat. In a lot of ways, you don't start learning your trade until *after* you have that degree, or at least that's been the case for me. When I've asked older guys about that and what they think needs to be changed about our field's college curriculum, one of the answers has always been that they see that engineering degree as a sort of proof that that new grad has the ability to learn, so that they can then trust that new kid to learn the way their company does business and design.

 

Follow up

 

Ahhh, no one wanted to see that follow up. That's gross.

Edit: Oh and GPA does matter a hell of a lot. Even if your degree is completely unrelated, it basically shows that hey, this person is willing to put in the effort ad that's useful in every job.

 

What? Of course we want to see if any valiant slugs had made it!

 

Wish I had timing as great as this photographer.

 

Somewhat related to earlier picture.