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My impression is that GPA isn't really that important beyond your first job, unless you're trying to get in grad school. And like the article says, in many cas

by bllguo 9y ago

My impression is that GPA isn't really that important beyond your first job, unless you're trying to get in grad school. And like the article says, in many cases it's who you know, not what you learn. Baffling that this is still surprising enough to be labeled a "paradox" and to be the subject of articles.

AnimalMuppet 9y ago
It would have been surprising to me when I was in college, or even for a decade or two afterward. I didn't understand how valuable contacts were.
smelendez 9y ago
And GPA isn't necessarily a direct reflection of knowledge or skill level, especially outside of STEM classes. Think of a history class, where a big part of your grade might be a research paper only tangentially tied to the core of the course. Putting a bit less effort into it--the average GPA gap seems like the difference between an A and a B+ at many schools--doesn't necessarily mean you're less informed about that area of history. And knowing how much effort is worthwhile to put into a task given deadlines, other pressures, etc. is an extremely valuable skill in business and life in general.
libria 9y ago
I thought it was virtually common knowledge that higher GPA was generally correlated with higher income. Is there a recent study that shows the reverse?
- bllguo 9y ago
  Sure, in general, but the key factor here is "fraternity." Of course people who have low GPAs, and are also not doing anything else like joining a frat or making social connections, will have lower incomes in the aggregate. They're spending their time doing things that won't help them get higher incomes (though they may still be worthwhile endeavors - not necessarily a waste of time; income isn't everything). This is how I see it. Once you reach a certain GPA threshold, making social connections is a more valuable use of your time than trying for higher grades. Unless you are one of the few people for whom GPA actually matters.

by bllguo 9y ago

AnimalMuppet 9y ago

It would have been surprising to me when I was in college, or even for a decade or two afterward. I didn't understand how valuable contacts were.

smelendez 9y ago

And GPA isn't necessarily a direct reflection of knowledge or skill level, especially outside of STEM classes. Think of a history class, where a big part of your grade might be a research paper only tangentially tied to the core of the course. Putting a bit less effort into it--the average GPA gap seems like the difference between an A and a B+ at many schools--doesn't necessarily mean you're less informed about that area of history. And knowing how much effort is worthwhile to put into a task given deadlines, other pressures, etc. is an extremely valuable skill in business and life in general.

libria 9y ago

I thought it was virtually common knowledge that higher GPA was generally correlated with higher income. Is there a recent study that shows the reverse?

bllguo 9y ago
Sure, in general, but the key factor here is "fraternity." Of course people who have low GPAs, and are also not doing anything else like joining a frat or making social connections, will have lower incomes in the aggregate. They're spending their time doing things that won't help them get higher incomes (though they may still be worthwhile endeavors - not necessarily a waste of time; income isn't everything). This is how I see it. Once you reach a certain GPA threshold, making social connections is a more valuable use of your time than trying for higher grades. Unless you are one of the few people for whom GPA actually matters.