Everyone cares about grades at college – that’s a fact. We cannot determine the definite reason for this aim for a high GPA, so we’ll list three possible explanations:
Some students want to continue their education in a prestigious graduate school, so they are focused on academic achievements.
Others have always tried to make their parents and teachers proud by getting great grades, so they are forcing themselves to study as much as possible because that’s how they feel they’ve achieved something important.
Some students believe that high grades will easily get them a job after graduation.
Let’s go through these reasons step by step. The first one, related to prestigious graduate schools, is valid. You do need a high GPA to be considered as a potential candidate. The other two reasons, on the other hand, will lead you to tons of frustration without producing great results.
When you’re forcing yourself to study just because you want to look good in the eyes of your parents, you have a real problem and you need to discover what you want. If you believe that future employers will care about your grades, here is a revelation you didn’t expect: they don’t! They care about the skills you’ve obtained throughout that education.
Of course, you need to pass all courses in order to graduate, but you don’t really have to strive for the highest grades if you don’t intend to continue your education at graduate school.
Here are few skills that are more important than your GPA at college:
1. Connections
You can’t develop connections by getting good grades. You can, however, build a good reputation by attending internships, focusing on your LinkedIn profile, and writing a blog that shows how knowledgeable and special you are.
“I didn’t have the best grades in all courses,” – says Megan, who graduated from college 5 years ago. “Still, I did much better than all high achievers after graduation. You know why? I knew a lot of people because I went to career events, seminar, conferences… you name it. These occasions enabled me to show my likeable personality, so I could use those contacts to get a good job right after I graduated.”
2. Knowledge
The grades show how much you studied for the exams, but they are not precise indicators for the knowledge you’ve gained. Knowledge is all about exploring things further and developing new interests. You won’t get anywhere if you’re stuck in those textbooks.
Meghan Rogers from Pittsburgh, currently working as a staff writer at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, has an interesting experience to share: “I’ve always loved reading and writing. I constantly discovered new topics and wrote great articles, blog posts, eBooks, and academic papers. This was a skill that introduced me to a whole new world of knowledge, which was crucial for the job I got after graduation. Now I do what I love the most: I explore new topics every day and I keep writing and learning as I make progress. If I was focused on my grades, I wouldn’t have had the time to work on this skill.”
3. Mentorship
Do you have a favorite professor? Instead of trying to gain their sympathy through perfect test scores, you should do something better: ask them to be your mentor. Get involved in class discussions, ask for career advice, and ask for internship recommendations.
“One of my college professors, who became my mentor, was impressed with my interest in social sciences and non-governmental organization. He got me two summer internships throughout my studies, and he wrote an awesome recommendation to one of his connections, so I now work in the organization I always strived for. No one asked about my grades,” – says Michael, an alumni from Princeton University.
4. Health and happiness
When you attend interviews after graduation, the representatives of HR centers won’t ask about your GPA. They will, however, notice your bright and positive personality.
“I never thought doing yoga would help me get a job,” – says Monique, an alumni from Harvard University. “I went to the university where grades were massively important. Everyone was frantically studying before the exams, but I did something better: yoga. I did get good grades, but they weren’t important when I started looking for a job. Employers care about your personality and the achievements you’ve made. Thanks to relaxation and meditation, I managed stress with ease and I didn’t become the frustrated person you often imagine when you think of Harvard graduates.”
5. Actual experience
The most important thing you should list in your resumes and explain during interviews is an experience. When a potential employer asks about your experience, you can’t say “well, my college GPA was 3.85.”
These are the things that matter: internships, projects, jobs, the time you spent abroad, extracurricular activities, and any other suitable experience that made you suitable for the job you’re aiming for.
Now, it’s time to stop caring about your grades and do something more important with your time at college: gain the skills you actually need.