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How to play off a 1.4 gpa in an interview?

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-COOLIO-

-COOLIO-

The Everyman
There's really no good excuse for it, I'm basically inferior to most university of toronto students.

WHAT DO I DO?

I have two interviews with IBM for java development positions.

Oh, and they requested my transcript so I know they saw it.

edit: oh yeah, this is for a professional experience year thing. i havn't graduated yet.
i need a 1.5 for that
 
T

thetrin

Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
Wow, a 1.4? What happened?
 
H

HomShaBom

Banned
1.4? Damn dawg.

Do you have a portfolio of previous work/personal projects? and are you familiar with Goldman Sachs?
 
P

pompidu

Member
-COOLIO- said:
There's really no good excuse for it, I'm basically inferior to most university of toronto students.

WHAT DO I DO?

I have two interviews with IBM for java development positions.

Oh, and they requested my transcript so I know they saw it.
Click to expand...

I'd lead off with that.
 
N

NintendoGal

Member
Lie? Tell them you were sick? I don't know. Something that they can't find out perhaps?

Generally I wouldn't advocate lying though. ;p
 
jchap

jchap

Member
IBM administers an IQ test and ignores all other metrics. You will be ok if you do well on it.

If you have a 4.0 and do poorly on their logic test you have 0 chance.
 
J

JGS

Banned
That will be tough.

You have to have personality out the wazoo (I mean 0 nervousness showing and confidence to overshadow the grades) during the interview and explain that as a creative person, you were too boxed in at a university setting.

Yeah...that could work.
 
P

perfectnight

Banned
Have you got any work you could show them? Maybe something you worked on for an open source program?

Anything that can get their attention away from your GPA.
 
S

shintoki

sparkle this bitch
How did you even get your degree with that? Most classes require a C(2.0) to even get to the next course up.
 
F

FreeMufasa

Junior Member
Anyone know what that would be in the British system?

I assume low since I see people freak about 3.1 and stuff here.
 
S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Do not disclose your GPA. Decline to state if you are asked to optionally provide it. State that you don't feel your academic record reflects your personal capabilities if asked. Have something that DOES reflect your personal capabilities in lieu of your GPA. If you are forced to disclose it, offer no excuse or apology.
 
L

LordCanti

Member
You got the interview despite the GPA. They must have had a reason. Go in and give it your best.

They probably want to have a good laugh at your expense when you actually show up. Yes, I know, I'm an asshole. But only in the spoiler section.
 
-COOLIO-

-COOLIO-

The Everyman
jchap said:
IBM administers an IQ test and ignores all other metrics. You will be ok if you do well on it.

If you have a 4.0 and do poorly on their logic test you have 0 chance.
Click to expand...

thank god, yeah i did that thing. i thought i did ass on it though.

LordCanti said:
They probably want to have a good laugh at your expense when you actually show up. Yes, I know, I'm an asshole. But only in the spoiler section.
Click to expand...

im not going to lie, this was my first assumption
 
C

ChiTownBuffalo

Either I made up lies about the Boston Bomber or I fell for someone else's crap. Either way, I have absolutely no credibility and you should never pay any attention to anything I say, no matter what the context. Perm me if I claim to be an insider
1.4 GPA.

Wowsers.
 
R

Relix

he's Virgin Tight™
-COOLIO- said:
i need a 1.5 to graduate/stay in school. im taking a lighter load right now to bring it back up
Click to expand...

Dude... damn. I thought it was standard to kick anyone out with under 2.0. Hell here they bitch about 2.5 :p. What Stump said is good thought, very good.
 
Hari Seldon

Hari Seldon

Member
If you only need a 1.5 to stay in college in Canada, no wonder why they have have the highest college rate in the world.
 
RubxQub

RubxQub

φίλω ἐξεχέγλουτον καί ψευδολόγον οὖκ εἰπόν
There's two tacts I could see:

1) Don't bring it up at all. If they bring it up, you honestly explain the situation. You were more immature back then perhaps. You were going through a rough time where your priorities were all out of whack. Come forward with a genuine answer that is believable...and honestly true. It's all you can do and hope for the best.

2) Come up front with it. If you know they saw it, cut it off before they bring it up to show confidence. Same tactic as above, but by coming out with it upfront you are taking a risk that the employeer didn't even know and now they do know...but on the other hand the person may see that you aren't hiding anything and value your forth-coming nature and honesty.

Not a great situation in general, really depends on your interviewing skills but at the end of the day you need to own up to the situation and explain what was going on at that time and why you got what you got. Focus on how you've grown since then and transition into talking about your more admirable qualities...and start with honesty since you're clearly being honest with them about this.
 
N

Nemo

Will Eat Your Children
How does GPA work? Is it a US exclusive thing? Seems pretty important with employers
 
M

Manmademan

Member
Stumpokapow said:
Do not disclose your GPA. Decline to state if you are asked to optionally provide it. State that you don't feel your academic record reflects your personal capabilities if asked. Have something that DOES reflect your personal capabilities in lieu of your GPA. If you are forced to disclose it, offer no excuse or apology.
Click to expand...

basically this. My GPA wasn't great at ALL, but when I was asked (and this rarely happened) my (valid) excuse was that I was working 55+hours a week full time in addition to my courseload.

Since the job was sales based and the skills i gained directly related to my career path after college, I rarely had an issue.

That was at the beginning of my career though. 10 years out no one gives a damn about GPA.
 
S

Sho_Nuff82

Member
"Cocaine is a helluva drug."

Teetris said:
How does GPA work? Is it a US exclusive thing? Seems pretty important with employers
Click to expand...

Generally,

A = 4.0
A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.0
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.0
C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33
D = 1
D- = 0.67
F = 0

For each class, multiply grade x number of credits (most "normal" classes are 3 credits, some discussion sections/labs are 1 credit, some major classes are 4 credits). Add all sums together. Then divide by total number of credits taken to get total overall weighted GPA.

For example, if I took 5 classes,

Class 1 - A, 3 credits
Class 2 - A-, 3 credits
Class 3 - C, 3 credits
Class 4 - B+, 4 credits
Class 5 - D, 1 credit

My grade would be

((4 x 3) + (3.67 x 3) + (2.0 x 3) + (3.33 x 4) + (1.0 x 1)) / (3 + 3 + 3 + 4 + 1)

= 3.309, or a B+ average
 
D

Drakeon

Member
Stumpokapow said:
Do not disclose your GPA. Decline to state if you are asked to optionally provide it. State that you don't feel your academic record reflects your personal capabilities if asked. Have something that DOES reflect your personal capabilities in lieu of your GPA. If you are forced to disclose it, offer no excuse or apology.
Click to expand...

This is probably the best advice ive seen in this thread. Not sure how you graduated with a 1.4 though, thought most places required a 2.0 at minimum.
 
B

Barrett2

Member
Sounds like keyboard cat gonna be playing you off as soon as the interviewer sees that nugget.

Also, what Stump said. You can't avoid it, so you need a confident narrative of why it doesn't matter.
 
Z

Zaptruder

Banned
Assuming that you're more competent now than your GPA indicates, simply tell them that it was a difficult time in your life, and that the experience and reflection upon the issue, along with further life experience has allowed you to mature as a person. That you've come to know and embrace the value of a driven attitude and work ethic. And that you believe will allow you to be far more successful in the work place then you were academically.

Also mention stuff about; despite the low GPA, you value the lessons and information taught at university and have since pursued further self study in the areas that matter (whatever that may be), while reflecting back to the knowledge gained.

"I feel that the education has stewed and incubated in me - that with time, I've added additional ingredients to it to develop a rich hearty blend of knowledge and understanding that I believe will be of great benefit in helping me further learn things both in life and within your organization."

You don't have to go with a cooking/stewing metaphor. :p
 
V

vas_a_morir

Banned
Nobody cares about 1.4 GPA, bro. Don't tell em if they don't need to know. If people cared about GPA, I'd be in better shape.
 
S

Seth C

Member
I felt like a loser for letting my GPA slip down to 3.12, and to do that I had to just not go to class at all.
 
A

Azih

Member
Get some impressive stuff in a portfolio, side projects, real world experience etc. and try to get them to focus on that and not on the academic side.
 
P

pje122

Member
coolio.jpg
 
L

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
Meadows said:
I have no idea how good or bad that is. If it was on the letter grade scale (A-F) how bad would that be?
Click to expand...
Half Ds, half Cs. This is about what my GPA was before I dropped out of college. I just hated coursework. I've done well enough for myself, but the lack of a degree is still driving me crazy.
 
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